Let Me Forget
by Draconian Dragonfly
Summary: What if Regina had met Emma when the girl was only sixteen? What if they'd spent the summer falling in love before Regina up and left to return to her cursed town? What would happen after that? (Summeries are not my thing obviously...)
1. The beginning

The summer had been perfect, Emma Lee Swan had never before been so happy in her life. Fuck, Emma had never been happy before in her short life. She'd been tossed away at the side of a highway as a infant. Unwanted, unloved. And that was how the next sixteen years had gone. A reproduction of that incident.

Jumping from foster home to foster home. Never finding love, acceptance, or happiness. She had been nothing more then a paycheck to the greedy people who brought her into there homes. Forced to work nonstop, basically there slaves, forced to be their punching bags, among other things. At sixteen she'd found the street as a better alternative then another abusive foster home.

The girl had no reason to live, but she had strode forward, not quite to the point of suicide. She had been trying to survive for so long, and just before she had fallen into the deepest pit of self-hatred, she had found a reason to continue her struggle of survival, she'd found a reason to continue living.

Regina Mills was that reason. She was perfection. From her dark brown hair, to her perfect lips, to her skin that held just the tiniest hint of mocha coloring. She was everything that Emma had ever dreamed about, that Emma had ever dared to hope for. She had fallen in love within mere hours of knowing the older woman.

Emma had been on the streets for a good six weeks when she had met Regina. She'd used her fake I.D to get into a bar in downtown New York. The young blonde had been dancing it up, having a grand ol' time just being careful and having fun. And then she had glanced towards the bar.

Her jaw had dropped as she looked at the most magnificent creature she had ever seen. She eyed the woman from her spot on the dance floor, Emma had been still as a rock when said creature had looked at her. There eyes locking together. It felt as if a jolt of lightening had danced within the blondes very soul as she stared into the brown orbs at the other side of the club.

"You have got to be a Queen, because all I want to do is fall to my knees and worship you" Emma had said breathlessly, she had always been smooth when getting woman to do her bidding, but she was anything but smooth as she had spoken to the beauty. She mentally scolded herself for sounding so weak.

This woman was different, just from looking at her Emma was weak in the knees, and could barely come up with a suitable pick-up line. Let alone stutter it out without passing out. The young blond was sure that her horrible excuse of a delivery wasn't going to land her any points, and her line was sub-par as well. She kept a semi-confident smile on her face, even if her heart was racing a million miles a millisecond.

"Really now?" The woman glanced at her, before taking a sip of her drink. "And if I was nothing more then an Ex-Queen?" Emma's smiled a bit more, relief flooding her features. If she could get this woman talking, then she might just have a chance with the mysterious beauty.

"That's simple, I would do everything in my power to get you your throne back. To prove that I was the most worthy of worshiping at your divine alter" Emma replied, she was still nervous, but it was melting away with each moment that the woman looked at her.

When the woman smiled it was like seeing your first sunrise, your first sunset. As if you had been blind your whole life, and it was the first thing you'd ever seen. It took Emma's breath away, made her heart skip a few beats. Her eyes were the most amazing shade of brown Emma's ever seen, and she knew if she stared too long into them that she would lose all ability to function.

"My name is Regina, would you like another beer?" Emma smiled and slid into the seat next to the beautiful, mysterious Regina. "Or we can skip the small talk, and continue this at my place" A shiver had run down Emma's spine as the older woman whispered directly into her ear.

"Her Majesty, please, lead the way." Emma said as she stood, probably a little too quickly. But this earned her a small chuckle from the older woman. "I'm Emma." She added as she dutifully followed after Regina, much like a lovesick puppy.

It hadn't been her plan, but, one night was all it took for Emma too fall head over heels in love. It was more then just the sex. The mind-blowing, best sex of her life thus far, but after that. Just the way Regina asked her too stay, the way she had held Regina as the older woman slept. It had brought forth emotions Emma had never dreams possible.

The same could be said for Regina. She had left her little town in the hopes of finding someone to relieve her stress for a night. Then to run back to the safety of the familiar, but, she had surprisingly asked the blonde to stay. Had nearly begged the blonde to hold her all night, and she'd never slept so well. Never felt so, right, as she had with the blonde wrapped around her.

Regina's trip had been extended, and for the next few weeks the two woman found themselves hooked together at the hip. They had mutually agreed that it was a sexual relationship, and nothing more, as neither woman wanted one. However, meetings in Regina's apartment had grown to Chinese take out and watching comedies. That had grown to coffee in the park.

Then they had found themselves at museums, clubs, movies. By the end of the summer both woman were very deeply in love with the other. Emma literally had moved into the townhouse apartment, and everything was perfect. They spent what time Emma wasn't working with each other, talking, playing around, sightseeing, making love in all sections of the house.

Before moving into Regina's apartment, which had only taken two weeks, she had no place to stay. She'd had no money, no car, and was coasting from shelter to shelter. She'd brought her duffel of clothes, and a box she shoved in a closet and wouldn't let even Regina touch. Regina respected that, after all, they were still skirting around the fact that they were no longer just sex friends.

The money that blonde made was from odd jobs she picked up, dog walking, house cleaning, dog washing, fixing bikes and cars when she could. But, she was fine with it. She liked the fact she didn't have allot of work, it meant more time with the woman she was hopelessly in love with. A woman she feared that she was losing.

Regina had tons of money, more then she knew what to do with. Emma didn't know about her immense wealth. And she had been pulling away from the blonde as the summer started to come to an end. Her weekend away had turned into an entire summer, and with September just days away, she knew she had to go back. And she couldn't take the young woman who'd claimed her heart with her.

She'd dropped a few hints here and there, trying to prepare the blonde for her departure. She couldn't just outright say it, because she knew should the blonde beg, or cry, she'd stay. She'd stay, and she'd age, and she would die. And Regina knew that if the blonde was by her side that she would gladly go that way. But she had responsibilities to the town.

The fear grew with every passing moment. Emma knew she wasn't invited to go with Regina, and that killed her inside. Regina hadn't stated the fact, but Emma just knew, just had a feeling that she wasn't allowed to go. Emma knew that Regina had a job, a whole life, back wherever it was she had come from. And she knew that soon Regina would leave her behind.

Regina had grown to be her everything. She was her air, her water, the only reason she was still breathing, still living on the corrupt earth. Emma knew that fact that she'd been lying about her age to the twenty-seven year old was wrong. She knew that if Regina had known she was only sixteen, and not the twenty-one stated on her I.D that they'd never have been together. She couldn't tell the brunette the truth.

Just like she couldn't tell her the truth of her past, the truth of her life up to that point. She couldn't share so much about herself with her. But, that had been alright. Regina didn't share with her, she couldn't, for her own reasons. It was a mutual agreement, the past didn't matter. They both chose to live in the right now. One of the many reasons that they'd never told each other how they truly felt, never stated those three words that needed to be spoken.

Then the worst day of young Emma Swan's life came to pass. She woke up alone, and instantly she knew that something was different, that something was wrong. She had sat up, her eyes zeroing in on the envelope on the nightstand. Her name was printed in Regina's clean, precise, yet still elegant handwriting.

Wrapping her arms around her knees, her eyes scanned the room. The closet door was open, all of Regina's clothes were gone. Leaving only Emma's behind. The little trinkets and things that made the room Regina's were also missing. The pictures of the two together that had begun to litter the room were also missing, in there place were empty frames.

Her worst nightmare had become a reality. Regina had abandoned her, she had been abandoned so many times that she had grown numb to it. She had grown to expect it. She hadn't felt the familiar pain for years, but now it came crashing down upon her shoulder twenty-fold. Regina had left her, her heart was broken, and there was nothing for her to do but to hold herself and cry.

How long it had taken for her to stop crying long enough to grab the letter off the nightstand she didn't know. Emma stared down at the envelope for a good hour, her finger tracing her name over and over. She was so scared to open it, but, as darkness started to take over the sky she opened it, doing her best to not just lay back down and wait for death to capture her soul.

_Emma,_

_There is so much, yet, so little to say. What had been a weekend away had grown into a full summer's vacation. You made my summer bright and enjoyable, and there are not words to express how very thankful I am for your constant company.  
As I am certain you have noticed myself and my belongings have returned to my home. The apartment is paid up for the next three months, and I've left you you some cash to cover any and all expenses you could possibly have for the next several months._

_I wish you only the best. I truly hope that you have a long, prosperous, and happy life,_

_Regina Mills._

The crunching of paper was the only sound as Emma crumpled the letter and envelope into a paper ball and tossed it as hard as she could into the wall. Her anger was rising, and her need for booze and food were overriding her pain. Spending all day in bed, crying and wishing she had never woken up in the first place had really done a number on her system.

She stumbled down the stairs of the apartment, and ripped open the refrigerator door. A large groan escaped her lips. The once fully stocked to the brim with Captain Morgan and Budweiser fridge was now void of any all alcohol, in its place was fifteen large stacks of cash, and enough health food to feed an army.

Dumping her booze was bad enough, switching out her microwaveable burgers with lettuce and fresh cut meats and weird looking things that were probably vegetables was just horrible. But, the stacks of one hundred dollar bills was just a dick-slap to the face. They were fresh from the bank, as they still had those little counting bands around them. Each stack held ten grand.

The door to the fridge was slammed so hard that had Emma been in her right mind she would have wondered how it didn't manage to break. As it was, she had slid down against the counter, till her ass was on the floor, and fresh tears were spilling down her cheeks. Regina had viewed her as nothing more then a common whore. She had been nothing but a slice of meat for Regina to play then pay for.

After she was able to get a hold of herself, and stand Emma walked to the living room. The blonde vehemently refused to use any of Regina's money. She would spend none of it, not even a dime, not even if it meant that it would save her fucking life. She grabbed her little can, that held all of her money, and began to count it up. She had just over two-hundred.

Spinning the dial on the bike lock she grumbled to herself, she was beyond pissed off. And she felt like little more then scum, when the bike was free of its hold she tossed the chain around her neck like a necklace, swung her leg over the seat and started peddling as fast as she could. She put all her effort into riding as fast as possible, rather then the fact she was riding a bike that Regina had given her.

As she slid to a quick stop in front of the Walmart doors the tires left streaks on the ground. She paid no attention to them as she locked the bike up and stormed inside of the store. She was on a mission. Glares were given to anyone who looked her way as she stomped her way through the store. The first thing shoved into the cart was a cubic foot sentry safe.

Knowing that there was no way she was going to balance the safe anywhere on the bike for the three mile ride back to the apartment the blonde glared harder at everything and headed for the second thing on her list. Three rolls of classic duct tape landed angrily on top of the safe's box. The last thing she needed was something to put that shit into for the ride back, the solution was grabbing the biggest backpack they had available.

Everything in the cart totaled to just over a hundred and sixty bucks, but it was worth it to her angry mind. Emma had to take the safe out of it's box to fit it into the backpack, which caused her to stomp on the box angrily, causing a few other nightly shoppers to send her weird glances as they walked to their cars. She simply gave them her middle finger.

With her adrenaline slowing, and her anger falling the slight chill to the air gave her a slight shiver as she tightened the straps on the backpack. Her teeth made a sickly, wince worthy, sound as they ground together. Choosing to ignore the cold, and focus on her next task, she unlocked the bike, tossed the chain back around her neck and put all her energy into closing the three mile gap between her and her home.

"Fuck that" She said out loud as she thought to herself. "Ain't my home. It's just Regina's old apartment. I don't belong anywhere" She growled to herself as the wind made her hair fly out behind her.

Once back at the apartment Emma dropped the backpack onto the couch, and headed back to the fridge. She grabbed out a bottle of water, and downed it before wiping the sweat from her forehead. The empty plastic bottle landed in the recycling bin as the blonde headed for the closet. She grabbed the old, beaten up, brown cardboard box off the shelf.

"You can do this. This is who you are. Nothing can stop you, you are stronger then this" She muttered to herself as she carried it to the living room. She placed it onto the coffee table, and sat down. Staring at it.

The box was small, but, it held everything that Emma had ever held onto. A baseball from the one time she was on a team, the blanket she had been found in, and a handful of pictures of her childhood. Her entire sixteen years of life wrapped up into a box. A mostly empty box, but, she supposed, there was an upside to that.

Step one was taking everything out of the beat up, crumbling, box. She stacked it to the side of the coffee table. Step two was pulling out the duct tape. By the time she was duct taping the box there was more tape then box, but, at least she now believed it would hold up for another year or two without disintegrating into dust particles from the slightest touch.

The next step involved her actually getting off of her ass, and walking to the fridge. She carried the stacks of cash out of it's cold environment and into the living room. Stacking it next to the box on the coffee table. A sigh escaped her lips as she began step four, setting up the damn safe. Setting up a key-code was simple, she converted Regina's name into a number. Seven three four four six two. It was after all Regina's fucking money.

Emma's blood was still boiling at the fact that Regina, the woman she had fallen in love with, the woman who had become her everything, had thought nothing more of her then a common fucking whore to use for her own amusements. One key was hung like a pendent on a shoelace, and Emma put it on like a necklace. She figured that way she wouldn't lose it.

Taking another trip to the kitchen Emma found a can of whole wheat pringles. Something she would never eat, and work nicely for what she needed it for. Once back in the living room she moved the empty box to the floor. Then she took the lid off of the pringles can, and put her hand over the open container. She flipped it over, and set it onto the coffee table. The tower of pringles didn't do what she wanted it to, and flung themselves all over the table.

She tore off a small piece of duct tape with her teeth, and put it over the key, making sure the sticky side was facing down she forced the key onto the bottom of the pringles can. To make sure it was stuck permanently she added a second chunk of tape. Then she started re-stacking as many as the chips inside of the can as she could. The broken and unstack-able chips were shoved in the trash can.

Now that the safe was programmed, and the keys in safe locations, Emma stacked all of the money inside of it. Not once while she was handling all of the money had she thought of spending it, her mind was dead-locked on returning it. The safe was dropped into the bottom of the box, and covered with the blanket and other items that were long-time residents of the old box. The other new resident of the box was the pringles can.

After all of the events of the day Emma was tired, angry, and broken inside. So she closed up the box, picked it up and hauled it up the stairs. She placed the box at the foot or Regina's side of the bed. Turned out the lights, and did her best not to cry as she crawled under the covers and wrapped herself up in the blankets that still held Regina's apple like scent.

The morning came to quickly for Emma, and considering she hadn't eaten the day before she allowed her stomach to rule as she forced her legs to carry her down the stairs. She made herself a sandwich and shoveled down her throat and she crashed down onto the couch. She laid there, trying to figure out what she should do next.

Staying at the apartment wasn't ideal, but, Regina had paid the rent up for three more months. And it was a really nice apartment. It was better then finding herself with a box with a ton of cash in it on the streets. So, as she stared up at the ceiling, not wanting to move, she decided she would stay at the apartment for three months and save as much money as possible while doing so.

The plan after the three months were up were to move out of the expensive townhouse and find a cheaper apartment somewhere as far from New York as she could manage. She also decided, that one day, she would find Regina. And she would return her money. And then she'd leave Regina, and forget she had ever existed. She just had to make it to that day first.

A/N: What are your thoughts? I hope you like it thus far.


	2. The next step

Her twelve weeks of free rent was almost up, she didn't know where to go next, and she wasn't pulling enough from her odd jobs to cover it when she'd literally ran into a twenty year old guy named Neal. He'd been running down the street, and when the two collided jewelry and watches scattered from his pockets.

The two became friends of sorts, Neal needed a place to stay, and someone to fence his stolen goods. Emma needed someone who could pay the rent. So Neal had moved into the second bedroom. Neal knew nothing about Regina, knew nothing about Emma beyond the fact she was a pretty blonde who sold his stolen goods.

Five months passed, Neal paying the rent and the bills. Emma pawned and sold the shit he stole online or on the streets. She got a nice cut from it. It wasn't her ideal job, but it kept money coming in. She continued her dog walking and washing and other odd jobs she'd picked up, they were good cover. She didn't mind Neal's company, he didn't seem like a bad guy, even if she did have to constantly turn him down.

His advances seemed never-ending, but considering he had always taken no for an answer Emma didn't fear him. It was a mistake she'd regret when one night he came home beyond plastered. She had awoke to him climbing on top of her, the unmistakeable stench of Captain Morgan in the air. She tried to kick him off, but he was stronger then she was.

What was actually less then twenty minutes felt like an eternity. And when he was finally spent he let go of her, rolled off and fell asleep. The thought of killing him entered her mind, but she couldn't actually kill someone. And, at least he hadn't had hurt her as bad as some of her foster father's had.

So she did the next best thing to killing him, she grabbed her duffel bag, tossed as many of her clothes as she could inside of it. Emma then grabbed her box, and then pulled the thief's own tricks on him. She stole his 'secret' stash of cash, his wallet, and the car he had stolen and kept for his own.

Emma was seventeen at this point, and it had been a good eight months since she had last seen the woman she still, as much as she hated herself for it, loved. She'd jacked all of Neal's money, so she still wasn't even tempted to use the cash Regina had tried to pay her off with. Since she couldn't return to the apartment she'd driven until she was too tired to drive anymore and pulled into a run down old motel, and decided to stay there for a few weeks. To give her time to figure out what she was going to do next.

Three months quickly passed, and she'd moved from the little run down motel to a less run down motel closer to the bar she'd gotten a job at. She was trying to figure out what to do next, where to go, what kind of other, better paying, jobs to look for, and just what the fuck she was going to do with her life she started to notice that there was something wrong.

So, feeling sick and tired she took herself to the local free clinic. Emma waited as patiently as possible for her number to be called, and after nearly eight hours of tortuous waiting she was brought back to see a doctor. The doctor took her vitals, asked her symptoms and asked her when her last period was.

That's when it hit her full force. She hadn't had a period since she'd left the apartment, since Neal had sex with her. Sex where no condom had come into play, and since she had been so determined to get the fuck out of there she hadn't showered until the next day.

Fear ate at her system as she peed into the cup. Emma stared at her hands as she waited for the results. And when the doctor came back, the look in his eyes told her everything she needed to know. Neal's drunken night had left her with more then a bad memory, it'd left her with a life she didn't want growing inside of her belly.

That night she'd stumbled back to her motel room, shocked and confused. She didn't know what to do before this obstacle, she sure in the hell had no clue now. What was she going to do, raise a kid she wasn't sure she'd even like let alone love in a cockroach infested motel? She placed her head in her hands as she sat on the floor, resting her back against the side of the bed.

Emma quickly decided that there was absolutely no way in hell she could care for a baby, wanted or not. The baby was growing inside of her whether she wanted it to or not. It existed, there was no way around that. She had to come up with a plan, she pulled her duffel bag from under the bed and started to count what was left of the cash she'd stolen from Neal.

With what was left from Neal, and what she'd been getting from the bar she had just over six grand. She wished she had more, but the costs of food, gas, and the weekly rent took more then she was making at the bar alone. She shoved the cash back into the duffel bag, and sighed before crawling into bed. Her plan would start in the morning.

The little yellow bug was directed at the closest U-Haul storage place that Google could locate. She'd walked in, sunglasses on, ripped jeans, and a black leather jacket. She was ready to face the world. She signed the paperwork for a ten by ten unit, and put five grand down up front.

Emma could only hope that her plan would complete itself in time, five grand only covered seventeen months of storage, and that was only because the first month was free. She refused to be pessimistic, her plan had to work or she would lose everything. She held onto what little hope she had that she wasn't making a mistake, that she wasn't about to lose more then material possessions.

After double checking that the lock to the unit was secure she popped the key onto the shoelace around her neck, it clinked as it slid into the lock-box key. Emma placed a hand against the orange metal door. Inside was the yellow bug, the box that held what little she couldn't let go of, and all the money she still needed to return to Regina, should she ever find her.

The next step was tracking down Neal, and considering she no longer had a car, she had to do it by bus and foot. He wasn't too hard to find, she'd looked on the streets, asking about him for five days before she found out he was still living in the fucking apartment. The apartment that had been hers, and before that, Regina's. It sickened her to think of him still there.

Emma had stood on the doorstep for a good hour getting the courage to go through with her plan, double checking to make sure she had the six ounces of weed in her backpack. Her insurance policy. With a deep breath she knocked on the door, the door swung open a few seconds later. Revealing Neal. A huge smile spread across the fuckers face.

"Emma! Welcome home, I was beginning to worry baby" He said as he leaned in to hug her. Her reaction to his delusional state of happiness was to give him a swift kick to the ballsack. He groaned as he stumbled backwards.

The kick had to been so powerful Emma was a thousand percent positive that he'd never again produce a child. She gave him a few kicks to the legs and ribs. While she wanted to just fucking wail on him until he was laying dead and bleeding on the floor she decided that killing him would not help her in any way possible.

As she expected the neighbor called the cops and she was arrested, she didn't deny the assault. Hell, she didn't deny that the weed was hers. She would confirm or deny nothing, least not till her plan was in action. She wasn't surprised when they told her she was facing possession, and for six ounces that meant a year in prison, and assault in the second degree,which could be a seven year sentence. Eight years she was facing, and she still hadn't called in a lawyer.

"Now, you can put me in jail and all that. Or, we can make a deal, and I can give you everything you need to put Neal Daniels in jail for the rest of his miserable life. And lets not forget the fact that he knocked me up against my will at seventeen. The jury loves that kind of thing." Emma said as she stared at her captors.

Emma had gotten off better then she had expected too. She knew they had wanted Neal for awhile, the guy was scum after all. She hadn't expected them to completely drop the assault charge if she agreed to the maximum sentence for the possession. She was given twelve months, while Neal would be lucky to ever see the sun again.

Time spent in jail wasn't that bad for Emma. They fed her, the fashion sucked, but she got the medical care she needed to keep herself and the fetus healthy. And as long as she kept out of trouble with the other girls she wouldn't find herself on the pointy end of a toothbrush. Which would have been bad for both herself, and the unborn entity growing inside of her.

The baby had been born inside of the prison hospital, Emma hadn't bothered to even look at it, let alone opt to know it's gender. The blonde wanted nothing more then to forget that the thing existed, she didn't want to know anything about it. While she had carried it Emma felt nothing for the baby, it had simply been her job to push it out of her vagina when the time came.

In fact the only thing she did want to know about the child that she had grown inside of herself for nine long months was that it wasn't being dumped into foster care, that a family somewhere actually wanted the unfortunate child. That someone was legally adopting the thing. Because as much as she truly didn't care about the thing one way or another she wouldn't even damn Neal to being jumped around like she had been over and over again.

Her release was a joyous occasion for the baby-free blonde. It was a huge relief to have her shoelace necklace back, the two keys dangling around her neck. The fact that she was back to her normal jean size, and the familiar feel of her leather were just added bonuses. Wind blew in her face as she walked away from the jail, ready to start a new life. Ready to begin again. Ready to forget everything up until that point.

First thing she did was head to storage, she still had a good four months left that were prepaid, so she didn't take anything out yet. She just had to make sure everything was there, and to her immense relief it was. She slept inside the unit the first few nights, as she hunted for a job.

Being a secretary was not Emma's favorite job, honestly she preferred dog walking to it. However, her record, as stupid as it was, being eighteen and having only a prison issued GED under her belt the only person willing to hire her was a Vinnie D. He was a bails-bondsman. Or rather, he sat behind a desk and made others do his dirty work.

It took Emma seven months before she had convinced him to let her quit the secretary gig and start taking the small cases. At first she got the guys who did stupid stuff, the old guys who flashed there junk, and the druggies who were just to drugged up to make it to court. But she worked hard, and soon she was taking the bigger cases. By the time she was twenty she was the best bounty hunter that Vinnie D had ever employed.

She wanted to get out of New York, to see other places. So, she took her act on the road, doing free lance work city to city, state to state, all up and down the east coast. Emma took only her box, and her little yellow bug with her as she followed the money. Running from the past, running from the memories. The money was what was important.

Always the money, she'd get a call, state, name, place, and amount and she'd be on her way to the next big one. Never stopping to let down roots, she'd learned long ago, from Regina, from the woman who had taken her heart and stomped all over it, that if she slowed down and got to know anyone that in the end they would only hurt her. So, she did what she did best. She found people, and got paid to do it.

Place to place, job to job, she kept herself busy at all times. The years passed, and she did her best not to think of anything that had happened before she'd become a bails-bondsmen. Or a bounty hunter, however you wanted to spin it. She didn't particularly care what you called her, she knew she got paid the big bucks because she was excellent at what she did.

A/N: I hope you've liked this one as well, and thank you to everyone who has reviewed! Made me smile, and probably pushed me to get this out lol. That a ton of pixy stix!


	3. Stranger Danger

**A/N: A person reviewed saying that Emma being sixteen when she and Regina fell in love made Regina a pedophile. Which, isn't true. A pedophile is someone attracted to prepubescent children. And, if I was smarter I would remember the name for people attracted to teenagers. But, I don't. But, just in case I didn't make it clear, Regina and Emma met in a BAR. A 21 and over bar. She beleived Emma to be 21. And while I don't know what would have happened if she had known her true age what I do know is that in the land Regina came from (and our own history) that girls as young as ten and eleven were married and bearing children to men in there sixties simply becuase they'd started there periods. So, Regina is NOT a pedophile, just had to clear that up.**

**And to Guest/Sergeik thank you so much for the review. I can only hope that you continue to enjoy the story as it progresses.**

Thanks to everyone who reviews. I love those.

She hadn't been one for gifts, from herself, or otherwise, not that she'd ever stuck around to know someone long enough for that sort of thing in the first place. But, for her twenty-eighth birthday she'd traded in the beat up old ugly yellow bug and bought herself a nice pitch black with red highlights Jeep Wrangler MOAB. She was glad to see the yellow broken bug drive off sputtering exhaust on it's way out of her life. She shook her head, wondering why she'd kept the old thing so long. It did nothing but remind her of Neal, of Regina, of her past.

The day of her twenty-eighth hadn't been that bad. In fact, considering the majority of her birthdays had sucked so much mother fucking ass she'd have to say that it had been a damn fine one. She'd caught her most recent mark, who was worth a good quarter mill, she'd got a new car, and was set to gallivant off to wherever the fuck she wanted to next. It was a rare good day.

However, she still felt like something was missing from her life. That horrible, never-ending, feeling of loneliness and emptiness hit her as it always did. Most days of the year she could ignore it, she could ignore the past. But on holidays, on her birthdays, it always crept back. She stared down at her cupcake, the flame standing proud, and she wondered what was wrong with herself.

Just as she was about to blow out the candle, once again not knowing what to wish for, she was interrupted by a loud knocking at her front door. She briefly contemplated ignoring whoever had the balls to annoy her this late, but decided that wasn't the best option. With the way her luck was she bet that whomever was trying to ruin her day would knock harder and louder, causing her neighbors to call the police.

Emma licked her thumb and forefinger, and then put out the flame by pinching the wick of the candle. She decided that she would just have to preform her solitary birthday ritual later, thinking maybe, by the time she got back to it, she'd know what to wish for. A middle finger was lifted towards the door when the knocker decided to start with the damn ass door bell.

To say she was speechless after she threw open the door; a scowl on her face; would be an understatement. She had expected an ex-mark, a con, a drunken gentlemen caller for the wrong room, hell even her current employer would have been less of a shock then a little boy. A little boy who filled Emma with a sense of dread.

His green eyes were unmistakeable, they were just like her own. That dark hair was Neal's, that chin was hers, and that crooked smile. Well, she was certain she had smiled just like that back when she was young and stupid to the ways of the world. He didn't have to say it, just looking at him was proof enough. This was the child she had given up all those years ago. The child she had done her best to forget, the child she had never wanted to see. The child she had never wanted to know about, the child that shouldn't have existed in her world.

"Are you Emma Swan?" The smiling boy asked. Emma numbly nodded, her fingers turning ghost white as she clutched onto the door. "My name is Henry. I'm your son" He said it with such a huge smile, like he'd just found liquid gold.

Boiling alive on the inside Emma just stared at him. It felt like her guts were on fire, churning inside of some sort of witch's cauldron. The child that she would forever deny, the child that in her mind never existed was standing right in front of her. A son. She was speechless. She didn't know what to do, all she knew was he wasn't meant to be there. Not then, not ever. She knew what she would wish for, she wished she could forget his arrival, wished she would never again see him. Wish that she hadn't ever saw him.

Taking her silence as invitation he pushed his way right past the stunned woman. He waltzed right in, opened the fridge, grimaced at the sight of old sandwiches and beer and shut it. He climbed his way onto the counter next to the sink and folded his hands in his lap. Emma turned to face him. She blinked, still clutching onto the open door. This just couldn't be happening. Her past had come back to haunt her.

She deeply wished she had just slammed the door in face, or better yet, had pretended she hadn't been home. The kid could land her in jail, did his mother and father even know where he was? The thought of getting locked behind bars was not a happy one, and Emma got her game face on. She let go of the door, closing it, and leaned up against it.

"Look. Kid. You gotta go back wherever it is you came from. You don't belong here" Emma had managed to blurt out. Henry defiantly crossed his arms and shook his head. "I'll take you to the bus stop, but that's it"

"You can't leave a ten year old out in the rain, at ten o'clock on a Saturday. In Boston. Do you need me to list the things that could go wrong?" Henry said with an all to familiar smirk. It was Emma's own 'I am gonna win and there ain't nothing you can do about it' smirk.

The duo fought about how Henry was going to go home, and Emma's role in it all, for a good two hours before the kid won. The only way he wasn't going to tell the cops she had kidnapped him was if she personally drove the pipsqueak back to his hometown in Maine. Emma wasn't happy about losing to the kid, but with jail time looming over her she had no real choice in the matter.

Fifteen minutes into the drive Emma had tossed a sleeping bag at the kid. She had a soft top, and she hadn't bothered to put it on the Jeep yet so the wind was hitting them full force. She liked it that way, it kept her awake and alert at well past midnight. And she was honest enough to admit that seeing the kid shivering and wincing from the force of the wind brought some joy. Emma felt that it served him right for looking for what shouldn't have been found.

An hour in she couldn't stand to see the kid shiver from around the sleeping bag so she'd pulled over, sent the shivering kid into a gas station to get something to drink and a candy bar, and then she put the top on. She may want nothing to do with Henry, didn't mean she wanted to freeze him to death. And she felt she had tormented him enough by then

"Hey, Kid, get your feet off Adriana-Rose's dashboard" Snapped Emma in disbelief, after she was done relieving herself she'd come back to find the kid, his bare feet on her new car. The fact she was allowing snacks in her baby was bad enough. Feet prints were just unacceptable.

"You are just like my mom. You know, the one who adopted me, but her car is named Lee. If you ask me, it's a stupid name, but, she'd had it since I came along." Henry said as he sipped at his Slurpee.

Emma silently vowed that if the child broke or stained anything in her car she would send him home in a body-bag. By drink she had meant soda, or water, that had a fucking lid. Not a multicolored frozen vial of sugar and deliciousness. But, she didn't have the heart to send him back in for something else.

What seemed like infinity and a half later Emma pulled up in front of number eight muffin drive. Emma was out of the car in a flash, Henry at her side. The duo was halfway to the front door when it was flung open, and two people rushed outside. A man in blue jeans and green jacket, but it was the woman who surprised Emma the most.

Standing before her, now clutching onto Henry like she had thought he was dead, was Regina mother fucking Mills. Her jaw hung low to the ground as the beautiful woman kissed and hugged the son she had adopted, the son that Emma had given birth to. The need to run away and never look back coursed through Emma's veins as she continued to stare wide-eyed at the scene before her.

Henry finally managed to rip himself from his mother's grip, and then he ran as fast as his legs could carry him into the house, up the stairs, and into his room. He wasn't exactly thrilled to be home. It was only after Henry had run from her that Regina had looked up, to find herself staring at Emma Lee Swan.

A weird look filled Regina's eyes, like she was beyond disbelief. Emma was sure her eyes mirrored Regina's. She had never expected this. Never expected to see her again, she had even looked for her, it was if she hadn't existed. And now here she was, right in front of Emma. It was that moment that she knew she wasn't ready to face her, but she had to. She had a mission.

Regina's mind was racing. Disbelief, happiness, dread, pain, and a torrent of other emotions were swirling inside of her. She had yearned for Emma all these years, hoped that one day she would see her again, one day let her know just how much she had loved her. But, because of her immortality, because of the fact they were from different worlds, that hadn't been a possibility.

Once she had regained her composure, and was able to slam her jaw shut Emma simply turned around, walked to her Jeep, turned it on, and drove away. Regina's heart broke as she watched the blonde drive away, had she been able to move she would have said or done something. What, she didn't know. All she knew was that she had to send the Sheriff home, and have a talk with her son.

Emma was beyond glad that most of her shit was already in the back of the Jeep. She had been planning on going from Boston to New york in the morning so everything but her cupcake and what was left in her fridge was at her old apartment. She really wished she had that damn cupcake, and that fucking wish, right about now. Even if she knew the wish wouldn't come true, a spark of hope was there that had she stopped to make it, then it would have.

She glanced at the box on her backseat, she hoped that by returning what she needed to return that could finally put Regina behind her. Finally give up on the love that still pounded within her chest. She still hadn't registered the fact that in the past twelve years Regina hadn't aged a single day. Her brain was just overloading way to much for her to question Regina's appearance just yet. She wasn't ready to do what needed to be done, yet, she knew she had to. While she had the oppurtunity.

"Tell me you got a room open?" Emma said as she walked into the bed and breakfast. A black and red haired woman looked up from the book she'd been reading to eye her up and down. "Well? Do you have one or not?"

"Yeah, we do. We take pay up front. Don't get many around here, Stranger Danger. The name's Ruby. Welcome to Granny's Bed and Breakfast" Said the twenty-one year old as she reached out her hand. Emma shook it.

"It's nearly three in the morning, if you could get me a key, and a beer I'd really appreciate it. By the way, the name's Emma." Emma said as she slid her debit card towards the younger girl. Ruby just gave her a laugh.

"Yeah, I can share my stash with ya. Hope you like Bud, cause he's the only boy to pass my lips" this time it was Emma who laughed as Ruby winked at her. "And I like Stranger Danger better. Sorry, you're branded for life"

Emma took the cold beer and the key, found her room, downed her beer, got down to her boxers and passed the hell out on the way to comfortable bed in the middle of her room. When she woke up the sun was shining, and she had to pee something awful. She stumbled to the bathroom, her mind and body still telling her to jump in her Jeep and run for the hills.

A startled curse word escaped her lips as she exited the bathroom, Ruby just smiled at her. Emma placed a hand over her heart as she waited for her heart to slow the fuck down. Ruby certainty didn't mind the view she had been given. Going so far as to pout when Emma quickly grabbed her shirt and threw it on.

"It's four, thought you'd be up by now. Granny told me to bring you something to eat, and tell ya you are going to have to pay for another night" Ruby said as she sat on the bed, taking a bite of a cookie. Emma rolled her eyes.

"Thanks for the food, next time don't break into my room alright? Coulda given me a heart attack" Emma said as she swiped a cookie and tracked down her jeans. "Charge me for a week. I'm hoping to be gone by then, but I got some business to attend to here before I can go"

"You got it Stranger Danger" Emma shot the smiling girl a glare. "Told ya it'd stick" She laughed out as she left Emma alone with the place of cookie and sandwiches. "And you ain't old enough for a heart attack"

The next day Emma walked downstairs at half past ten to find Ruby fiddling with a rubix cube, she was intently staring at it. In an obvious attempt to figure out how to solve the puzzle. Emma leaned on the counter, startling Ruby. Who jumped a foot backwards. The blonde smirked, her revenge had been sweet, but short lived.

"If I'm stuck with Stranger Danger you're stuck with Rubix Cube. Speak now or forever hold your peace" Emma half-joked. The evil glint in Ruby's eyes, and the smirk on her face told her the answer. She was doomed in this town, she just hoped she wasn't there for long.

Emma wasn't planning long enough to make real friends, but she couldn't help the fact that she was drawn to Ruby, that she felt like she almost belonged here. As if this was always meant to be where she ended up. She shook the thoughts from her head, she had a mission, a bounty of sorts. Instead of catching a villain it was her job to deliver a package to it's rightful owner. Once that was done she could leave, and never, ever, come back to this little town in the middle of nowhere.

"Well, Stranger Danger, we don't get many of your kind in these parts. Walk me over to the diner, Coffee's on me" Emma couldn't help but give the younger girl a twice over, a smile. Ruby winked again at her as she reached over and grabbed the blonde's hand.

The walk wasn't too long, but it gave Emma time to grow uncomfortable with the fact Ruby was holding her hand still. But, on the flip token it had given time for Emma to fully appreciate Ruby's new outfit. The girl had been sexy as sin in her sweatpants and tank top the last times she had seen her, but in skintight jean shorts, that barely covered her ass, and a belly showing red blouse she was spectacularly sinful.

Ruby's red-tipped hair, and the way she kept smirking at Emma as the two talked on their way to the diner did nothing to keep the blonde's from the diner. The girl was a nice kid, and a major flirt, and Emma did her best to keep her mind from the gutter. And since Emma's mind tended to be just one giant fucking gutter, well, that was very hard to do. She only wanted to fuck woman whose names she'd never know. It was safer that way.

"I'll buy breakfast, can't let a pretty one like you do it" Emma winked at Ruby as they walked through the diner's front door. Ruby'd laughed and rolled her eyes. Emma cursed herself inwardly, she had to keep the flirting to a minimum but it was like her mouth and brain were slowly disconnecting from one another.

Emma had been surprised to see Granny taking orders, and had to keep herself from laughing when she'd come over and scolded Ruby and told her she only had thirty minutes until her shift started. Ruby had simply nodded at her grandma and told her she wanted pancakes. She'd only seen Granny once before, in passing, and she guessed the fact that she owned a diner as well as the inn was why.

Breakfast had been interesting. Emma had listened Ruby talk as the two had ate, and she actually found she was being nice to the girl. She had only been nice when trying to get to a mark, she didn't want lasting friendships. She preferred to move on and forget anyone she'd ever met didn't even exist. She blamed her niceness on the fact that her mind was living in the sewers, and the unexplainable sense of belonging she had in the town.

After Ruby had donned an apron and started actually doing what she was supposed to be doing Emma just sat there and thought to herself as she sipped her hot chocolate with cinnamon sprinkled on top. Her guilty pleasure, well, at least in non-alcoholic liquid form. She'd sat there until lunch, when she waved Ruby over for a refill and ordered a grilled cheese and fries.

"Hey, Double M, come sit next to Stranger Danger!" Ruby placed to plates on Emma's table. Her order, and, what she guessed was probably the woman's usual. She was going to protest, but the kind smile on the new woman's face stopped her. The place was packed, and, she had been sitting there all day. Against her better judgment she allowed the newcomer to sit with her.

"I am going to guess that your real name isn't Stranger Danger" The short-haired woman said. She was very pretty as well, Emma briefly wondered what was up with the woman of this town. "My name's Mary Margaret. It's very nice to meet you"

"Emma." She replied as she shook the hand offered to her. "I think Rubix has an issue with giving people nicknames." Mary Margaret nodded as she let out a laugh.

"So how long are you in town for? We don't get many visitors around these parts. Really, I think you are the first one who has come through" Mary Margaret got a far away look in her for a few moments.

"Just for a few days. Got business to attend to. Well, I should probably head back to my room. It was" Emma nearly choked as she spoke her next words "a pleasure to meet you". Emma then threw down four twenty dollar bills on the table. She was sure that would cover Ruby's, Mary's, and her own meals.

It wasn't the fact that she'd said the words. She'd said it so many times, to so many people. But, she had never meant it before her. She didn't know if it was Regina's very presence on her mind, or if there was something in the fucking water, but she kept going and making connections with people. And for Emma, that was worse then murder. She clenched her fists inside of her leather jacket as she walked as quickly as she could away from the diner. Emma knew only one thing, she needed to get the fuck out of Storybrooke before she lost her mind, or worse.

**A/N: Now I am going to go start chapter four... I hope to have it out by next friday... So, let's hope I manage that. As always, I hope you enjoyed**


	4. Delivery

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviews!**

**to Sergeik, thanks for your reviews again. I love reading your thoughts on what is happening. And I full-heartedly agree that Henry hating Regina was extremely stupid. Regina loved and cared for him, never showed any kind of malcontent for him period. As far as Emma and Henry goes, you are going to have to wait and see. And the letters is a good idea, but I don't really think that works with what I have planned. but thankyou so much for the idea!**

**To R.A Reid, thank you for the review, and I hope that you continue to love my writing, and that the story continues to enthrall you.**

The next two days were exactly the same. Emma went with Ruby for breakfast, sat around playing on her phone until Mary Margaret showed up for lunch, chatted with the schoolteacher until she left, paid for the meals then headed back to the Inn. Emma was starting to despise herself, she just needed to do what she was here for and be done with it. Before she grew anymore attached to the people of the town.

Emma was unable to comprehend why she was so trusting with these people. That last people she had really, or at least semi-trusted had been Regina, and Neal. Since then she had been smart, not trusting. Just doing her jobs, her missions, getting her pay, and getting out. She couldn't handle the way the people of the town were always happy, she couldn't stand the way she wished she could be like them.

So on the third day she hatched a new plan. Just because she was too pussy to see Regina Mills again didn't mean she couldn't outsource her mission. She had never done such a thing before, she had always been able to take care of whatever had been thrown her way. However, Regina was a different story. After so long of wanting, waiting, and searching, she just couldn't do it. She couldn't see her, not again. She didn't have the strength.

Years of pent of rage, pent up pain. Emma was a volcano, and she knew that erupting would do her no good. She cleared her mind, and fought back the pain. Fought back the memories, those sweet, loving memories of the two together, of how they had been happy. Or, at least Emma had. To Regina, who had left her a curse, a burden, she had been nothing but a common whore. Street filth. Expensive filth, but filth nonetheless. No, Emma could not look into Regina's eyes, seeing the woman who had paid her and dumped her would hurt to much. And Emma couldn't run on pain like she did on anger. So after breakfast Emma put on her big boy balls, took a sigh, downed the last of her morning beer and looked up at Ruby.

"So, Rubix, I want to hire you to do me a favor" Ruby burst into laughter, and Emma realized just how bad that had sounded. "I need you to deliver something for me, to a Regina Mills." Ruby stopped laughing and raised an eyebrow.

"Not that I would be opposed to certain favors, free of charge of course" Flirted Ruby, and Emma couldn't help but eye her up and down. She was quite a beauty, and if it was just a complete understanding of casual sex she'd have Ruby in her bed right then.

Emma was sure that Ruby wouldn't be opposed to casual, however, she felt like the girl deserved more then the hands of drifter on that gorgeous body, didn't mean she didn't think about how it would feel to have the younger woman underneath her and screaming her name in ecstasy. Images and thoughts danced across Emma's mind concerning just what could be done with Ruby.

Hell, Emma was certain that Ruby had been trying to get herself into her jeans from day one. Emma was damn proud she had managed to keep from taking her up on her offer thus far. And she was right, Ruby did want in those pants. Badly. She was fresh meat to the waitress, hot fresh meat at that. If she had been anyone else, in any other town, Emma knew she'd have hit her and quit her by now. That was her M.O. But, she'd grown actual human feelings for the people of the town. She couldn't risk sex, as great as it could be, at that point.

Operating with human emotion was new, and dangerous. Emma knew she needed out. She thrived on the anger that had lived inside of her for so long. Day to day she lived for two reasons, to return the money to Regina, and to forget. To leave everything behind. Emotion, people, memories, the past. Her reason for being, her reason to live on, was in that little safe in the bottom of the cardboard box.

"So, this delivery, it sounds interesting. My question is why don't you do it yourself?" Asked Ruby as she tied on her apron, it was about time she started work. She didn't need Granny throwing a bitch fit again.

"Just can't" Emma answered softly, wincing, she sounded weak in that moment. And the truth was, she was weak when it came to Regina. "Once I know she has it, in her hands, I can finally move on with my life" Emma sighed, wondering what life she had once her reason was gone. "Five hundred if you can do it today. You come back and I'll give you the cash. It's an easy job. Take the package to her, and voila, easy five hundred"

"I'd have done if for fifty" Laughed out Ruby. "Damn. Five hundred huh? Get me whatever you need me to deliver by noon, and I'll have it done by one o'clock." That was her lunch break. Emma nodded at her.

Ruby gave her an awkward hug, that Emma barely returned. Ruby just laughed, typical Emma. Kissed the blonde's cheek and started taking orders before her grandma got on her case again. Emma walked back to the diner slowly, her mind racing. Her body aching, and wishing that the brat she'd given away had never found her. That she'd never found this place, but more then that. She wished she hadn't ever existed.

Sitting on the bed, and staring into the box, she wondered what she would do after it was gone. She had held onto the idea of giving the money back for so long that she just didn't understand what else to do with her life. She was a hunter, but, would life be the same? Different? Emma sighed, not wanting to think about it any longer. These thoughts had plagued her for days, and now with the time for handing the money over at hand, there was no use wondering. She would find out soon enough.

Forgetting everything had always been her dream, her desire. She ran from place to place, mark to mark, all to lose herself as she hunted for her prey. Her drive had been the money, that money that sat in the bottom of the box, awaiting it's return to it's true owner. What would drive her now that her mission was accomplished, was there anything left for her out in the world? She wondered, if there was anything else to live for. Once again, she fought back the thoughts. She didn't want to think, she just wanted to get this crap ready to be handed over.

Taking off the necklace was hard for Emma. It had nearly always been there. It was a part of her, but, she needed to send it where it belonged. It had been her rock in hard times, a burning reminder against her chest that she needed to survive. She got all the things ready, and placed a short note on top. Then dumped everything into a brown paper sack. When she handed it to Ruby she was emotionless. She wasn't sure whether to feel relieved, or empty. She supposed, she felt a bit of both, after all, what use was left for her in this life.

After watching Ruby walk out of the diner with empty eyes she'd ordered another beer, not caring about the disapproving look that Granny has given her as she poured it for her. And then she waited, drowning her sorrows in beer after beer, her eyes betraying her by glancing at the door every few seconds, waiting for Ruby's return. Waiting for her burden to be over.

"To what do I owe such an immense pleasure?" The Mayor asked with the most annoyed tone that Ruby had ever heard. She just rolled her eyes, and licked her red lips. She was one of the few not scared of Mayor Mills.

"Stranger Danger asked me to drop this stuff off" Ruby placed the heavy brown sack on the desk. "You got it, so, my jobs done. See ya." With that Ruby left a confused Mayor staring at the sack on her desk. Ruby wondered what was in the sack, but figured she really didn't care. It wasn't her business.

A sigh passed Regina's lips, she wondered who had earned such a nickname from the promiscuously dressed waitress. That had once spent the time around the moon dressed in red, or dressed in the skin and fur of a slightly overgrown wolf. Deciding it was probably better she go through the contents of her delivery now rather then later she pulled the bag closer to herself.

Regina pulled out the contents. Inside was the safe, a shoestring with a key on it. The very shoestring that had been wrapped around Emma's neck every day of her life since Regina had left her. Excluding her stay in prison of course. The mayor stared down at the items, curios to as who would send her such things, and what their meaning could possibly be. This was going to be a headache, she already knew that.

The mayor had wondered who Stranger Danger was, but, as her eyes zeroed in on the envelope that was taped on the front of the safe she knew. That handwriting was as familiar to her as her own sons. Emma Swan had written it. Handwriting from the woman who she had abandoned to return to the place she had to belong. The woman who still owned her heart. With shaky hands she opened the letter.

_Regina, _

_ I've spent years thinking about you, about finding you. Imagining what I would say and do when I threw your slap to the face back at you. I've come to terms with it, as I've tried to gain the courage to return it to you. I can't face you. I am so filled with disgust over the fact you viewed me as nothing but a two-cent whore. Slapping you, telling you to fuck off, telling you fuck you, it would do me no good. The only thing I need to finally move on is knowing that you've received what it yours. Every last penny is in that case. Never spent a dime. The stacks still have those tag-thingies on them as well. With this I can finally move on, finally forget that you existed like I have yearned for since the day you left me. _

_ As far as your child goes, I have no idea how he managed to find me. However, like I did the day that he was born into this world I will forget he exists. He's not mine, and I will never allow him to find me again. Just as I will finally forget you, finally let go of you. I can finally stop caring about what you thought of me so long ago. Neither you, nor that child should ever think or know of me again. You owe me at least that._

_ The code to get into the case is seven three four four six two,_

_Emma_

Regina couldn't believe what she had read. She had loved Emma. So much, she hadn't wanted to return. She would have given everything up, reversed the curse and kissed that bitch Snow's fucking ass if it meant she could have been left to live and grow old with the woman who she had grown to love. However, she knew them staying together had been an impossibility. And she hadn't thought Emma had loved her.

The money had been meant as a way for Regina to take care of the young woman after she was gone, not meant to be some kind of burden. She had cast the curse for a chance at happiness. And she had found that, and so much more in Emma. But she had to let her go, which was the most horrible thing she had ever done. It had hurt the most. More then Daniels death, more then ripping her own father's heart out.

It was why, when Gold had come to her house, saying that Snow's daughter had given birth to a child in prison and had given it up for adoption she had taken him as her own. She hadn't thought that he was Emma's, hadn't even known, all she had known was that when Henry had been placed in her arms she was able to feel a small fraction of the happiness she'd had when she was with Emma. And that had been enough to keep herself from withering away into the blackness of despair.

Just thinking about the fact that Emma had gone these past years thinking that she had been used as a whore threatened to bring tears to the shocked Mayor's eyes. She was frozen as her mind raced, reading and re-reading the letter from her beloved. It was clear that Emma had loved her from the way she spoke. She didn't even stop to think that Emma had to have slept with someone else, especially a man, to have conceived Henry.

With a pounding, fearful heart, Regina stared at the letter. Emma was saying she was finally letting her go, that since the money was in her hands that she could move on. To someone else, to someone who could love her. The mere thought of Emma with anyone else made Regina's heart fall to her feet. She couldn't stand that, but how could she win the heart of someone she had destroyed without meaning to.

How could she explain that the reason she had left was because she had no other choice, that, because the land was cursed, someone had to take care of everything. Had to lead the people, had to keep her people in, and the rest of the world out. Had to make sure what they needed, and, how, even if she had wanted to, she couldn't have brought her in because those without fairy tale blood in there veins could never survive inside of the barrier.

If she had known that Emma was the daughter of the Charming line, then things could have worked out differently. She could have taken her with her to the town, the curse breaking would have been worth it if it had meant Emma by her side. Regina had never in her life wished she had simply just allowed all the people of the town to wither and die then she did right then, if she hadn't come back, then she wouldn't have lost the one person in any world that she loved more then anything.

"Ruby, where is she?" Regina demanded after she had finally found the strength too move through the pain emanating from her heart. She was angry, annoyed, and a whole slew of emotions she wasn't ready to deal with.

"Uhm, who?" Ruby asked as she raised an eyebrow at the brunette. Mayor Mills looked beyond pissed off, but Ruby just smiled at her. She was like that, always had been. In the curse, and before it. Regina had to keep from throwing what little magic she still had at her.

Regina highly doubted that Ruby didn't know who she was talking about. Who else in the god forsaken town would she be asking for? Especially considering she was an outsider, and had the fucking waitress deliver a package to her! However, Regina held herself back from throwing a fireball the size of a quarter at the once wolf, and managed not to strangle her either.

"The woman who had you deliver the bag to my office, Emma Swan" Growled out Regina, she was sure had she been cursed with Ruby's old affliction she would have changed already. Full moon or not. Her rage was building at Ruby's little game.

"Oh" Ruby dragged out the sound as if coming to a huge realization. "You must mean Stranger Danger." Regina could only nod. She needed to know where she was. "She left five minutes after I returned from your office."

Once again Regina's heart dropped. Emma had been serious about leaving. And it had taken Regina a full two hours before she had managed to make it to Ruby's. Her thoughts went to the barrier, and she wondered, if Emma could get in, could she also get out? She knew how Henry had made it out, Gold had given him a potion as an infant to get him in, and she'd been warned, that he would forever more be allowed out. Just like Gold, and herself were. Even though she thought it humanly impossible her heart pounded faster, and a fresh burst of pain ran through the muscle.

Near the sign, at the edge of the town, five miles of wilderness away from it in fact, Emma stood. Seething with anger. There was a huge problem. Her brand new Jeep had stalled, not wanting to go back she decided she'd just abandon it, so she had tried to walk forward, but it was like there was an invisible steel wall blocking her path. Her Jeep wouldn't start, and if it could, she would have slammed the fucker into the wall. It would have been worth it if it had meant she could escape from the prison of a town.

Blood was running down her knuckles, and her once white t-shirt was stained with sweat and blood. She stared at it, she could see the world beyond the invisible barrier. Her mind couldn't figure out why she couldn't get through it, and attacking it was getting her nowhere but in need of some good ass painkillers. The Jeep wouldn't start, and she doubted another car would get through the freaking wall-thing either. Her anger grew as she slammed another fist into the offensive wall that was blocking her from her freedom.

**A/N: So I managed to get it out before Friday, so yay me. Wasn't entirely happy with this chapter, but after three complete rewrites I settled for a chapter I could live with. Chapter five should be out by friday. Let's hope I hit the deadline, or, better, get it out sooner.**


	5. Forget

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed thus far!**

**And I am sorry about being a day late with the update... I tried to get it on time, I swear!**

Pain once again ran rampant in her system as she pulled in behind the black jeep that Henry had been driven home in. Tears filled her eyes, and she forced them not to fall as she looked out at the woman she loved. She was a bloody mess, her clothes stained with the red liquid that kept a person alive. She was using all her strength to attack the barrier that was keeping her from making her departure. Regina wanted to pull her into her arms, and hold her until the pain went away. But that wasn't an option right now, hell, Regina was damn certain Emma would punch her if she tried.

Climbing out of the car Regina's eyes wandered over the woman she still loved. The woman who could never love her again, or trust her again for that matter. Regina held little hope otherwise. Sweat was glistening down her bare arms, and over her face. Her red leather jacket was tossed on the hood of the jeep, and her white wife-beater was damp and dripping with a mixture of blood and sweat. The sight made the Mayor's stomach churn, and guilt rise up within her like an army.

"One would think that an intelligent person would have given up after almost two hours." Regina spoke, causing Emma to jump a foot in the air. But she didn't look back. She knew who was speaking. She could never forget that voice. That voice had haunted her dreams for over a decade.

"I've always been stubborn" Emma said through gritted teeth. "This, whatever the bitch-fuck that this is, will learn that I am fucking boss" She still didn't dare to look back at Regina, she couldn't handle that. She started to punch harder, she needed to be away from this woman. Needed away from this town, she needed to forget. To move on.

Not knowing why she could never move past her love for this woman who had damn near destroyed her soul she hit harder and harder, not caring as blood spattered across the face. She didn't care, she never had. Caring only led to pain, her time with Regina had proven that. Had ground it in so fucking deep that Emma couldn't be told otherwise. It was as much a part of her as her own eye-color. There was no way to alter it. No proof strong enough to reach the insides of her soul.

"A fail-safe that Gold and I put in. No one can enter or leave unless they've taken the right potion. You probably only got in because it's said you are going to break my curse. If the curse breaks the barrier will dissolve, but anyone from the old world would lose there real memories if they passed it. An amnesia if you will" Regina said slowly, before sitting on the hood of Emma's Jeep.

That wasn't actually completely true. Yes, the current barrier would of course dissolve when the curse broke. Be that as it may Gold had made sure that should the curse break Regina and himself would get their full powers back, so they'd just set up a new barrier. While the amnesia that would take away their memories would be good, considering Regina's past, she still didn't want people from her home-world mingling with the population, the consequences could be dire.

"YOU THINK I WANT TO REMEMBER. FUCKING TAKE THEM AWAY. JUST LET ME THE FUCK OUT" Emma screamed out as she turned to face Regina. "Just fucking do whatever the hell you need to do to let me out. This military shit or whatever the fuck it is, I don't care. Experimental or whatever, I don't care. Let me out, I don't care what it costs"

Silence landed after Emma was done. She was breathing hard, and Regina would bet that she had broken her knuckles from the amount of blood, and ripped skin that adorned the blonde's hands. Death glares struck through Regina. Like lasers from Emma's eyes. Her heart ached, she had caused this. In the one woman she had never wanted to hurt. Regina searched her eyes, but, no matter how hard she tried she could see nothing beyond pain. Nothing beyond someone who was angry, and past there breaking point. She wondered, what exactly was Emma going to do once she left? Would she even survive, or would she fall under her own anger and hatred.

How does one explain magic to a person who grew up in a world without it? Regina didn't know, but she had to find some way to convince Emma of it's existence. Of the fact that the barrier between her, and her freedom, was not some military weapon, although Regina didn't doubt that they had something of the sort. With fear, and a pain-filled heart, she opened her mouth once more.

"Emma, can't you see? Don't you realize? Look at me, just, really. Truly, look at me. What do you see?" Regina asked slowly. Her eyes boring themselves inside of the angry green ones a few feet, that felt like miles, away.

So the blonde did as she was asked. She stopped staring past Regina, calmed herself down, well, enough to actually take in her surroundings, to take in Regina. Her anger dissipated, and confusion settled in. Her eyes were open, and she could see. She had realized, that something was very off. Scanning Regina's full body, from top, to bottom. Three times, not understanding what exactly she was seeing.

"You look exactly the same. You haven't aged a single day. At all" She muttered as her eyes continued to run up and down the still way to sexy goddess that was Regina damn Mills. She couldn't believe what she was seeing, or how she could be seeing it.

"It's because I haven't grown older. I will never grow old as long as the curse stands. This world, it's not my original world. Yes, we are human, but, we came from somewhere else. A place of legend. If I had known then, what I know now, then I would have done things differently" Regina spoke calmly, still not sure what she was supposed to say in such a situation. But felt she had to try.

Once again her blood was on fire, boiling, like lava ready to explode. She hadn't heard half of what Regina had said. She had only caught that very last sentence. Doing things differently. Everything else that had been spoken had melted in the lava coursing within her. Her rage was rising, and so was her pain. Emma chose to dive into the first emotion rather then the second. Feeding off of it, letting it fuel her.

"Like what? How about this, did you know I was sixteen?" Regina winced, she hadn't known. "Bet you wouldn't have fucked me then, right?" Emma was fighting back the pain as best she could, turning what she could of it into more gasoline for her fire. "Not make me love you with every fiber of my being? Not leave me behind like trash?" She demanded.

"I didn't, and I am sorry. I never meant for you to love me, I left you because of who, of what, I am. I love you, I loved you then, and I have loved you every day since. I never meant to hurt you, I am so sorry" Regina's voice was pleading, but her words didn't make it past the fire of Emma's heart. Past the steel wall that had been built to keep everyone, and everything, out.

"No! Shut up!" Emma shouted louder. "You left me like last week's garbage. And to make it even fucking worse you tried to pay me off like someone off the mother fucking lane? Adopted the kid I had because I was" Emma stopped shouting, a grimace on her face.

The blonde knew she was acting like a child, letting her anger and pain control her, but she was pissed. She'd held in all those emotions for so long, she was surprised she'd been able to dam the flow of words. There were things, that no one, not even herself, needed to know. Henry's father being one of the many. No one, ever, would know. It was her mistake, and her burden to try and forget him, and everyone else, that had ever come into her life. Everyone who had ever hurt her.

"I didn't know Henry was yours until last night. All I had known was that he was born of the blood of our Homelands, of the Enchanted Forests. His blood was from our world, and I could bring no children from this world up as my own. I needed someone to fill the void that had been created when I left you all those years ago" Her words, her sadness, did nothing to sway Emma's anger.

"What the hell are you talking about" Growled the blond in annoyance. "Enchanted forest? Homelands? And there is no our. I am not a part of you little fantasy lands. What the fuck are you going on about?"

Hard-headed as the day Regina had left her, and still as stubborn as a mule, the Mayor knew that the woman she loved wasn't going to jump on the magic is real bandwagon. She had no other ideas on how to convince her of the truth. She needed time, with time, and patience, she could give Emma the proof she would need. And that would give her the time to, hopefully, win back her heart.

"Let me prove to you why I left you there, prove that we are from another world. If I fail, if even after I have tried my hardest and given you everything I can think of to enlighten you, then I will give you the potion that is needed to allow you safe passage through the barrier." The thought of Emma being away from her brought tears to her eyes, but she would let her go, if she had to.

Fingers briefly touched Emma's cheek as Regina reached for her. The wet smack to the offending appendage wasn't unpredicted. Nor was the blood that was now staining the brunette's coat and hand. Emma was still bleeding, and still very, very angry at her. Regina wondered if there was any possible hope that she could win her back. That she could right the wrong that she had done, Regina doubted she had made a mistake as large as the one she had made when she'd walked out that morning.

She had regretted it every day since, but had always believed that they were from different worlds. That the love she had for the blonde was unrequited, that she couldn't bring the blonde with her because of the immortality. She had been wrong, and she couldn't go back and fix it. She wished in that moment that the TARDIS actually existed and she actually had one.

"No. You abandoned me, like everyone else. You were just like them. I won't ever trust you, or anyone else, ever again. I shouldn't have been stupid enough to trust you. Do you understand me? Not you. Not anyone. Wouldn't even trust the brat as far as I could throw him. Move your weaponry, and get the fuck out of my life. I've done my job, I've returned what rightfully belongs to you, that's the end of our story" Emma was calmer now, but she was still angry. And still only had one goal; escape.

Each sentence was like a slew of arrows through her heart. Had she never cast the curse, then Emma wouldn't have been abandoned. And while the once Evil Queen was positive that there was much, much more that Emma wasn't about to release, not even in her anger induced truth-storm, there was nothing she could do, or say about it.

Nothing she could do to change it, or alter it. She could only regret her actions, and she knew, as she stared at Emma, that she had broken much more then her heart. She had broken her very soul, because the only way that she had found Emma's son, the only way they'd found each other, twice, the only way there love could have lasted, or hurt so much, was that they were bound to each other on a soulful level.

They were true loves, but, Regina knew, even true loves, on occasion, couldn't be brought together. Her happiness was Emma, but Emma's personal Hell was Regina. And, as she stared in the broken green eyes, she accepted that there was nothing she could ever do to change it. She could wish, she could beg, she could cast curse after curse, but it couldn't change what she had already done. No matter how much she wanted it to.

"Do you truly wish to forget everything so badly?" Her heart was heavy as she asked the question that barely had been able to pass her lips, hoping for a different answer. Cursing herself for considering doing what the blonde wanted.

However, Regina felt responsible for a multitude of reasons. First, had she known that Snow's child was going to be the woman she loved more then she had loved Daniel, she wouldn't have enacted the curse. She would have courted her and loved her and not done wrong by her. Secondly, she would have never left her behind in this world. Never have abandoned her at twenty-one, or sixteen as she had freshly learned, never would have tore her own heart in two by leaving. She wished she could just go back, just fix everything. But, this was one thing she could do as penance. She could sacrifice her own feelings, her own happiness, if it meant that Emma could have a shot. Regina waited, her breath caught her throat, for Emma to answer.

"It's all I've ever wished for, all I've ever dreamed about. I don't want one tiny snippet of any memory, any recollection, of anything that's ever happened in my life. If I had a choice I'd never remember a single moment." Emma said in a defeated tone as she stared down at the blood on her hands and wrists. Wondering why she could never just live.

Wiping one's memory was no game, only one who had spent years learning such magic could actually do it successfully. In the end she still knew that it was an all or nothing game. She had to take everything from Emma, and then implant the basics. Regina would leave Emma with just the ability to speak, walk, write, and read. Beyond that she would be a blank slate.

Losing all of her memories meant that there was only one thing that could reverse the affects of such a spell, true love's kiss. Regina was sacrificing herself, her happiness, everything she could ever want, by giving in to Emma's needs. Just looking at her Regina knew, deep down inside, that the green-eyed woman was the only person she could desire, could love, like that.

Misery, and defeat battled their way to the surface. Emma's mind had been made up for years, and Regina could sense that. So she too made a decision, a decision she hoped would not end up biting her in the ass. Emma's own eyes were filled with agony, misery, and defeat. There was no will of survival left in those empty eyes. Regina knew, she'd have given Emma her very life, her very soul, if she had simply asked.

Amnesia had always been like a reward to Emma Swan. To forget every little thing had been her dream. And Regina was going to give it to her, she was going to grant that wish. Too grant such a wish, to preform such magic, she was going to need the full extent of her power. However, even if that wasn't the case she still would have done it.

Surprise overtook Emma's senses for a second as Regina yanked her into her embrace, and brushed her lips against her own. She was frozen solid as Regina's lips melded into her own, frozen as the ground shook and pale aqua smoke and lightening appeared all around them. Swooshing off into the wind, growing and spreading for as far as she could see. It looked almost like magic to the stunned blonde.

Then her brain clicked into gear and Emma swung her forehead into Regina's. The blonde's eyes were filled with anger as she stared at Regina. How dare she do such a thing? She'd lost all right to kisses and such when she'd walked away like she had been nothing more then dog shit on the bottom of her favorite pair of heels. The colored smoke and lightening far from her mind, Emma wiped her lips, and glared at her ex-lover.

For Regina that stolen kiss was perfection. A bittersweet dream. She had never wanted it to end, but, she had expected as much. The woman she still loved was just as hotheaded as she had ever been. She could feel her magic returning to her, and the absolute truth of the fact that Emma was her true love was a blow to her. She had hoped maybe, just maybe, she was wrong. After-all, the curse hadn't broke when she was with Emma before. But she knew that was because they were not on the site of the curse.

Tears stained Regina's cheeks as she put her hands on both of Emma's temples. Emma tried to jerk away, but Regina held her still, and started to pump enough magic inside of the blonde to still her so she could, basically, give her a new brain. Clear of all of her memories, thoughts, without so much as an imprint of what once was.

True to her past thoughts Regina did indeed leave Emma with only the bare necessities, and getting those to imprint on Emma's brain was hard enough. Emma's brain was now fresh to the world. She would be able to write, read, talk, and walk. A general education was dumped into Emma's mind as well, but, no memories of how, or why, she knew such things. Emma wasn't Emma anymore. But, she would have a chance at happiness. Even if that meant that Regina had to stay away from her.

Sobs wracked her body as Emma's body, now sleeping thanks to Regina's power, fell into Regina's arms. The two slumped to the ground, the once Evil Queen crying like she had never cried before. Clutching onto Emma's sleeping form. Regret and sorrow was all Regina could feel, if she had only known, if she had listened to her heart, instead of her brain then none of this would have happened. She could have been happy, instead, like everything else, she had lost what she most truly wanted. She had lost her happiness.

**A/N: So chapter six should be out sometime between next friday, and sunday. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.**


	6. Snow

**A/N: To everyone who reviews, you guys are fucking amazing! **

When she had no more strength to cry, Regina pulled out her cellphone. And stared at it. Who would believe her, would she die? Would Henry even be safe? Would Henry forgive her for her past deeds? Would he still love her? She glanced down at Emma, who, just as Regina remembered, was sleeping in a ball, her arms around Regina happily, and snoring. She decided, bile swirling in her gut, that she would do what was best for Emma. Which meant one thing.

"Snow, before you start screaming. I chose to break the curse. Believe me or don't, what's more, I have found your daughter. And I intend to return her to you" Regina said slowly. Talking to her rival, the woman she hated more then anything, took what was left of her willpower.

"And why should I trust you?" Seethed Snow into the phone. Regina could hear what sounded like a crowd gathering around the precious Queen. "Give me one good reason." Snow snapped when she received no answer.

"Because when you were a child you gave someone what they needed to take my happiness away, because I could have killed you, and allowed Charming to die, but I did not. Because, all I ever wanted was to be happy, and not even the curse allowed me that." She hadn't meant to, but a portion of her pain leaked through into her words.

"Where are you" Her voice was softer, but still filled with determination. Regina asked her to come alone, and told the woman she'd once put under a sleeping curse where she was, and wondered, what would happen next.

Regina was sitting with her legs crossed on the road, leaning back against the Jeep. Emma's head was in her lap, and the blonde's arm had instinctively wrapped around the darker haired woman's side. Holding her close even in her memory less, and sleeping state. Regina was petting Emma's hair, and staring down at her beautiful face, knowing this was probably her last chance to be this close. To feel her like this.

When her eyes finally tore themselves away from the image of Emma in her arms, they found themselves staring at a very confused, and angry Snow. And a armed Snow at that, a bow was in her arms, and a quiver of arrows on her back. But the arrow that should have concerned Regina was the one that was aimed at her head. But it didn't, she honestly didn't care in that moment.

She didn't even bother to be surprised that Snow had actually come alone, or to wonder if the White Queen actually held a single brain cell in that annoying little head of hers, however, she was too busy wallowing. Knowing she could never again hold Emma like she was.

Any other day, any other time, had the curse broken any other way Regina would have attacked Snow by now. Or, at least been amused that in the short amount of time since the curse had been broken the woman had managed to find a bow, and at least twelve arrows. Snow slowly took a few steps forward, closing the gap between the three woman.

"Is that really her?" Snow whispered, tears spilling out as she spoke. Regina could only nod. Snow, as if just realizing that it was Regina she was talking to, hardened herself. "What's your plan?" She growled.

Explaining past events to someone such as Snow White was going to much more than a bitch and a half. For a multitude of reasons, the top of the list being the thing concerning Emma's true age when they had first met. Yes, in their homeland that was nothing new. Girls as young as eleven could be courted and wed. However, Regina and Emma had not been married. Plus there was the fact Emma had been extremely skilled in areas no sixteen year old girl should have been, that thought angered Regina, and she was not going to be informing Snow of their sexual history. At least, no details of it anyway.

Memories danced through her mind as she averted her gaze downwards towards the blonde. Memories of the love they had shared, but never vocalized. Verbal or not, it had been love. True, and full. Regina wished she had known how Emma had felt back then, known of her true heritage, then thing could have been different.

The way they had taken each other, taken to each other. So fast, so easily. So, perfectly, it was easy, looking back, to see the mistakes. To see the signs. To realize that Regina had not only loved Emma, that she was just half of the whole they created together. The world they had created together, during that perfect summer, was just part of the equation. The universes way of trying to tell them they could be happy. They hadn't listened well enough, or rather, Regina hadn't.

Like a champion thoroughbred on the track the Mayor's mind raced on how a girl that young could have possibly have tricked her, convinced her, that she was so much older. It wasn't just the sex, or the way she could romance herself into just about anything, no, the way she looked. the way she had walked and talked, the way she had held herself, and the way she drank. her eyes, had been so deep, and Regina felt pain as she thought of what had turned such a young soul into such an old creature.

Regina wished, more than anything, that life had been different. That Cora hadn't been her mother, that she had never met Snow, never met Daniel. That she had run across sixteen year

old Emma in the old land. She would have done right by her. Courted her, given gifts to her parents, wooed her. Proven her love, and loved Emma the way that she had deserved. No her age wasn't that large of a problem, not knowing it was the problem. Of not going about it the right way was the problem. But she couldn't change that now, wishing it had happened otherwise would get her nowhere.

As for her so called plan, she had none. She had lost all chance at redemption, at happiness, at anything when she had given Emma what she wanted. However, she doubted that Snow would never understand her sacrifice. She was in fact, surprised, that Snow had yet to just kill her on the spot. Twenty-eight years ago Regina would have killed her, but years, cursed or not, could change a person. Especially when they had the chance to know the love of a child, and, even for a short while, the love of Emma Swan.

"I don't have a plan. What is there for me now? By giving her what she wanted, what she needed, to have a chance at happiness I had to give up my own. Because I cared more about her happiness then my own." Regina spoke with false strength as she stood up. She tried to find the old hatred she had for Snow, but was coming up with a short supply.

She was grateful she had no more tears, she would have been mortified to have Snow see her in such a state. It was bad enough that Snow was learning of her misery, learning the fact that Regina was weak. What more was there for her out there? The curse was broken, and her son would most likely hate her at the revelation of her true nature. And she would never be allowed to have Emma, as their kiss would return the blondes memories.

Snow glanced at Emma, who was asleep, and had only moved when Regina stood up. As her eyes looked down at her daughter, snoring softly, and snuggling her face into Regina's ankle she was filled with love for her daughter, and a sense of dread. Snow White, the woman who had brought down the Evil Queen on more then one occasion, wondered how exactly Regina had helped end the curse she had started, and why.

"How was the curse broken" Snow demanded. Regina raised an eyebrow at the tone Snow had used, but sighed, she didn't want to start a war. At least, not in that moment. "Tell me!" She shouted, loud enough that she could have woken just about anyone from a sleeping curse.

"I gave her what she needed, what she begged for, isn't that enough for you? I broke the curse, I stand before you, nothing more then a woman who made this world peaceful. Who raised her son with love, and never once hurt a person within the world I created" Was Regina's answer, she didn't want to answer the question.

By denying Snow what she desired, which oddly enough was not that she didn't have access to the pathetic, annoying, aggravating, idiotic bumbling excuse of a man. No, by not giving up what should have been a simple answer, she had pushed Snow's buttons further, and sent the black haired beauty's mind into overdrive. Emma snuggled up to Regina's leg did nothing to aid the situation.

"Do not make me repeat myself!" Snow snapped, pulling back further on the arrow, she was well past ready to let it fly, and find it's mark right between Regina's eyes. But the possibility that the woman had changed kept her from doing so. The possibility that her daughter and the Evil Queen – No. Snow dared not think about that.

"The curse was meant to bring me happiness. The happiness I was always denied in that world. The happiness you took from me, but, in the end, my curse only brought me more pain. So I ended it. Nothing else matters" Regina said cockily. She knew she was pushing Snow's buttons, as well as her own for appearing so weak, so vulnerable, but she felt she had nothing left to lose. Nothing except perhaps Henry.

A loud whizzing noise was heard as an arrow grazed directly over Regina's left ear. A warning shot, a warning that Snow was not happy and she had dead aim. The arrow was a hair's breath from nicking Regina's ear, and she knew, had Snow wanted to, it would have been feather deep in her heart, or between her eyes. And Snow knew, that had Regina wanted to, the arrow would have been incinerated with a fireball. Snow was already reloaded by the time the first arrow had gone by her ear. Two woman at a standstill.

"But what does any of that means, and how did you break this curse? And what role did my daughter play in it? Tell me what is going on here? Why my child is bloody and asleep!" Snow was at the end of her rope.

The once Evil Queen saw two options, she could kill Snow right now where she stood, which, was a very tempting option, or, she could tell the truth. She thought of Emma, and she thought of Henry. If Emma was his mother, then Snow was his grandmother. And Henry had always dreamed of meeting his biological mother since learning of his adoption, he still loved her, at least, he did before she'd broken the curse.

Regina held little, if any, hope that after learning what he did to his family tree the ten year old would still hold that same emotion concerning the woman who had raised and pampered him his whole life. Which left the proud woman who was taught never to show weakness, to bare even more to her most hated enemy. The woman who had turned her into the Evil Queen, oh her mother had helped, but until Daniel she had still been good.

"There is much to much to explain, and I do not wish, nor will I explain further then what I am about to tell you. Can you accept that?" Regina didn't want to share with Snow. But, she would release what she absolutely must, if it meant Snow would take Emma.

Snow glanced at the girl, no, the woman at Regina's feet. Still asleep. Still snoring. Completely content to ignore the world, such sleep was caused by magical exhaustion, or the after effects of spells and curses. Regina had done something to her, and yet, Emma clung to her. In her sleep. Her hands bloody, her arms speckled with the nearly dry liquid. Her shirt stained beyond repair, and, as much as Snow wanted to blame Regina for the wounds, it was clear that Emma didn't get them from her. She looked like she had been beating the fuck out of a wall, or steel, or a tree. Finally, she nodded at Regina.

"Emma wanted to forget, and from the look of things, she has wanted to forget for a very long time. She wanted to forget it all, to give her as she wished, I needed my powers back, so I kissed her again. And the curse broke, and I wiped her slate clean. She is your daughter." Snow flinched when Regina said the 'k' word.

The woman she had fought for only the Gods knew how long was standing, with her daughter's arms wrapped around her legs. The daughter who she had last seen as a hour old infant, the daughter who was now grown. Snow White wanted Regina away from her baby, but something inside of herself was keeping her from dealing a deadly arrow into her chest.

As if knowing what Snow wanted her to do, probably thanks to her own motherly instincts, Regina took a few steps away from Emma. As she did Snow smiled gratefully and stepped towards her daughter. The moment her fingers were away from Regina a frown appeared on Emma's sleeping face. Her arms patted around, seeking that contact, she became frantic, nearly waking in her search of contact.

Eyes narrowed as the Mayor of Storeybrooke placed her leg back in Emma's reach. The moment the contact was reestablished Emma's face returned to it's peaceful nature, and she was no longer frantically searching. Regina tried to keep a smug smile from her face, as well as the sadness from her eyes. She succeeded in only one, and unfortunately, not the more important of the two.

"You are her true love" Disbelief dripped from her voice like Niagara fucking Falls. Staring down at her child, who apparently, remembered nothing. Who had wanted to forget everything, a wish Regina had granted. She pondered, why would the Evil Queen sacrifice her true love? What's more, why were Emma's memories gone, why would she have wanted that?

Regina steeled her gaze, and her mind. Finally allowing her eyes, and Snow's, to connect. Snow now knew that Emma remembered nothing of her life, nothing of Regina, nothing of their love. And, she knew, by Regina's own statement, that Regina wouldn't act on it to save her from getting her memories back. Two woman, who, at one point had been friends. That had grown to enemies. Their lives had always been intertwined, and now they knew why. Destiny was a cruel mistress. Fate was just a bitch. And the two went hand in hand.

"True love's kiss will return her to her previous state, and I promise you. And her, that will never happen. No one but I, and you, will ever know the truth." That was the truth, she hoped Snow would never tell anyone. Not after her last fuck up concerning someone Regina loved.

"No one" Confirmed Snow. "Certainly not Charming. He'd blow a gasket, and the town. Uproar. No, right now isn't the time. Not while she can't remember." Regina quirked an an eyebrow. Not entirely sure of what Snow was going on about, but she really didn't have the patience or need to dwell on it.

"Now that we have discovered that I currently have no plans, at least, not against you, can we go onto more pressing matters. Like, do you plan on killing me" Snow crinkled her brow, staring down at Emma. Then at Regina. As always, she just couldn't bring herself to end her life. She'd ended countless others, but she'd never been able to deal the final blow to Regina, and as she saw the content look on her daughter's face, she realized why.

"I've never been able to kill you. Just like you've never been able to kill me" Snow said slowly, and then she lowered her bow. "It's more painful to be forced to live without your true love, and even then, I wouldn't leave your son motherless"

Now that was something Regina would have most certainly have done before she had changed, before she had started to let go of her past so she could be loving and caring towards the son she had never known she had wanted until Gold had placed that wonderful bundle of joy into her arms. Regina was almost proud of how strong, and assertive, Snow had been during there so called chat. And almost proud of the evil streak that had grown to live within Snow, for at least that moment. Almost being the operative word, no, Regina could never be proud. Almost would have to do.

"Henry. He is not only my son, but he is Emma's. By blood. He went to her, he brought her here. He will want to see her. And, I would suspect that you would want to know your grandson as well." Regina admitted. Thinking of her son.

Snow's mouth dropped open. She knew Henry was adopted, but, the fact that a ten year old boy was her twenty-eight year old daughters child was news to her. Meaning, her child had given birth when she was seventeen. In the old world, not uncommon, but in this one very much frowned upon. And, there was no ring on her daughter's fingers. She knew, her eyes were on them as they clutched to Regina. She was unwed. She had given her child away. And Regina had taken him in.

"He's my grandson?" She muttered. She'd taught Henry that year. Seen him in the market, saw him grow up in the after-school daycare. Been there throughout his life. And yet, she'd never felt anything beyond the normal realm of feelings for the child. The feelings of teacher to student, and yet, he'd been her very blood.

The mayor could only nod. Wincing as she too thought of how old Emma had been when she had born a child, a man's child. From her time spent with Emma she had learned a few things, one of them being that Emma classified herself as a lesbian. And she had seemed very adamant about it, and never expressed any interest in anything other the boobs and bits of a woman. A foul taste entered her mouth, wondering if her leaving had caused the girl to try and turn straight. The thought of anyone touching Emma brought a foul taste, and a bit of anger, to rise in her throat.

"Rumple brought him to me. I'd never wanted a child. I blame you for that" There was a playfulness in that statement, and a crooked smirk. Snow smirked back. "However, when he said the child was of our homelands blood, I knew he could bring me happiness. And yes, I then knew that he was related to you. The child of the savior"

The only sound that was following was that of Emma's soft snoring. Both dark-haired woman both smiled lovingly at her as she flopped onto her back, much like a young child, snored louder, and nearly tripped Regina as she tried to pull her leg into her chest. While the action itself made Snow wince at further proof of the True Love the two shared, it gave her hope as she glanced at the look on Regina's face.

With the Savior still down for the count, and only Regina at her side, how was Snow to figure out a plan to keep the people from attacking Regina. She couldn't just let her die, oh, she'd let her wallow away in her self-pity and self-hatred for awhile, but, eventually, she knew that true love would prevail. As there were two ultimate truths. Firstly, One truth prevails, and secondly, True Love nearly always wins. And where her daughter was concerned, she had little doubt True Love could fail.

"To break the memory spell she needs True Love's kiss correct?" Regina nodded at her enemy. Snow hooked the bow over her shoulder. And scratched her chin in thought. Regina didn't like the look in Snow's eyes, a certain determination she felt was going to come back to bite her in the ass.

"No one can know the truth of our love. Not Emma, not Henry, not Charming. She pleaded for this, she wished for this for years. Your daughter wanted to forget me, forget everything. And so I gave that to her. And I broke the curse" Snow nodded.

"Let's get her into the Jeep. And as for what we tell people, you aided the Savior in breaking the curse. You brewed some potion or what-not that you both had to drink, and she being the savior took on the consequences of the magic, the consequence being the loss of memories. I saw the whole thing, no one will guess I of all people lied about such a thing" A tiny sparkle of respect for the White Queen rose in Regina, who quickly squashed it. Trusting Snow had turned badly before, she wouldn't risk any good emotion towards her now. If she could help it.

**A/N: I am at a crossroads as to what to do now. So, I am hoping to have the next chapter out by next Saturday, or sooner if I can manage it, but i give no promises!**


	7. Pissing off Charming

**A/N: To everyone who has reviewed. You are great. I bow to your reviews. Lol.  
And thanks to Ash. Who listens to me go nuts as I rewrite the chapter a billions times because im nuts. **

Convincing the people, the ones that now had two lives flowing into one inside of their brains, that Emma was her daughter, her blood, was as easy as opening her mouth. When she told them that Regina had aided in the breaking of the curse that the Evil Queen herself had been far too easy. The lies had slipped from her tongue as easily as truth, and everyone ate every syllable that dripped from Snow's perfect lips.

All but one had believed what fell from Snow's mouth, Charming had eyed his wife, not believing his ears as she spoke. As she told everyone the story. Now, he couldn't fathom that his precious Snow was lying, so, he assumed that Regina had somehow cursed her into thinking that she had helped, for her own benefit of course. He'd crossed his arms, staring at the blonde that was his daughter, who was still being half held up by his wife, and his arch nemesis. The woman who had taken everything from him.

Keeping his mouth shut he glared at Regina, taking his daughter from her, struggling to carry her all on his own, but he grunted as he tossed her over his shoulder. He was playing peacock, trying to strut his stuff. To intimidate the brunette, he wasn't doing a very good job. Both his wife, and Regina, rolled their eyes at him. Charming would have commented, but he was still waiting for the sweet satisfaction of victory that he was sure to come when Emma woke up and told everyone what the Evil Queen had done to her.

The White Queen dismissed the people, telling them to try and find their families, to try and calm themselves. Telling them to spread the word of what she'd told them, and then she grabbed Granny, and the three woman led the red-faced and panting Charming towards the bed and breakfast. Charming was too proud to admit he wasn't strong to carry his muscular adult child.

Former enemies united and pulling the somehow still slumbering blonde off of her exhausted father and pulled her onto the bed she had been renting. Once Emma was settled onto the bed, she instinctively searched for Regina. However the woman who had been dubbed the Evil Queen made sure her hands didn't catch onto what they had aimed for. Instead Ruby sat down beside the sleeping woman, and began to rub her arms to calm her down.

Granny chose this time to slip away to seek herbs and plants of healing, as well as any potions that might be available, and weapons. Her weird obsession for swords, crossbows, axes, and bows now made sense. She wondered how Snow had managed to find such a beautiful bow so quickly as she scampered off to her own little armory underneath her house.

Holding herself back from claiming Emma as hers as the annoying wolf-child placed her hands upon Regina's true love's body was excruciating, more so than the mayor had even contemplated. She hadn't thought it would be easy, but the sight alone had a murderous streak rising within her gut. She wondered if she could do it, if she could somehow manage not to rip out Ruby's very throat.

As if she could sense Regina's mood Snow placed a calming hand on her step-mother's shoulder. Eyebrows raised in a mixture of alarm, confusion, and a sense of just what the damn fuck as the angry woman sent her an appreciative smile. Snow honestly believed she was in some sort of alternate dimension or twilight zone for that second because it was just too. It wasn't believable, but, Snow couldn't deny what she'd seen. Appreciation, no matter how small, from a woman who had cast many a curse upon her.

Against all odds Snow's action had given Regina just the tiniest flicker of calm, the tiniest sense that she wasn't completely alone. Not that the proud mayor, and ex-queen, would ever admit that. Least of all to the woman who had been her enemy since the day she'd broken the promise. Right then, in that moment, she needed it. And Snow gave it to her, because it was what Emma needed. If she fell victim to the need and longing in her chest, then Emma would remember the moment they kissed, and Regina had swore never to allow that to happen. She needed out of there.

"Kathryn has my son, and I should go and check on them. To make sure they are both safe" Kathryn was one of Regina's, alright, she was the closest thing Regina had to a friend, and the only one she trusted to take care of Henry.

Charming's teeth made a sickening sound as they clenched together, he knew that Snow was going to be all weak considering whatever curse had been placed upon her by the evil vile thing in front of him, so killing her, while the best plan for everyone, wouldn't work right now. That would have to wait until Emma woke up and told them the truth.

Merely thinking about killing the thing that had taken everything from him again and again brought him enough joy that he was able to take a deep breath unnoticed, and calm himself enough to speak, he glanced at his sleeping child, a child he had lost so many years on, and then at his naive wife. He had to say just the right thing to get Regina where she needed to be, so that he could execute her the moment the real truth was told.

"No, I am taking you to the jail. Even if you helped the curse, which, I find doubtful, that does not alter your past crimes. You still need to receive punishment. In our world hanging would have sufficed" The last sentence hadn't meant to slip past his lips, but it had.

The old woman glanced at him, having only heard his very last words. She glanced at her Queen, at Snow, before handing the King a sword. Charming attached the sword belt, and sword, to his person with familiarity and ease. Snow took a set from Granny as well. They needed weapons, but she also needed to keep her husband in check. She sighed, Charming could be such a tool at times.

"You will do no such thing" Snow snapped at him as calmly as she could manage. "We will not jail, and we will not hang her!" Charming narrowed his eyes at his wife. Snow opened her mouth, ready to defend Regina.

However, Regina rested a hand on Snow's shoulder. Halting her train of thought, Regina just sighed. If being taken to jail was going to be on the agenda, she might as well go peacefully. Snow needed her energy to take care of Emma, not waste it arguing with her retarded husband.

"I will go with you, after all, with less than a snap of my fingers I could have slaughtered you all, or, at the least, I could have transported home." Regina said with a smile that caused chills down the King's spine.

"Are you sure?" Asked Snow, her stepmother nodded at her. Snow sent a glare at her husband. "Get there, and get back here quickly. Do not do anything I wouldn't approve of, understood?" A frown graced his features, but he nodded at his wife.

Fingers grasped roughly at the back of Regina's neck, nails scratching deep into the skin. Charming forced her head down, to the point her back was perfectly level with the floor and ceiling. He then grabbed her arms, pulling them up into the air, placing a death grip on her wrists. The position made a smile appear on his lips, he knew she deserved so much more.

A loud thwack was heard as Granny smacked the King square in the back of the head. A low growl escaped his lips and he let go of Regina to glare at her. His eyes met Snows, her arms were crossed, and her eyes were narrowed. Her lips were drawn into a thin, pale line. Anger swelled in his chest, they had no right to question his actions. He was king! He knew what was best! He was the man!

Snow had made no move to punish her husband, because she knew, from experience, that should Regina want to, she could simply squash her nimrod of a partner into the tiniest of stains on the carpet. Granny knew as well, but she was long since tired of Charming's sense of righteousness. And no woman, not even Regina, deserved such treatment. Granny had long since wondered how Snow had come to be paired with a man who simply refused to see the Evils of some people, and the Good in others. A man who was blind to everything but what he wanted to see.

His second attempt at getting Regina away from his wife was much more successful, he had simply held her hands behind her back, with more force than necessary, but you can't have everything. Leaving his wife, Ruby, and Granny to fret over his sleeping daughter. A daughter that he was sure was going to validate his beliefs, a daughter that he was sure would give him the go ahead to rid the world of the Evil that was Regina Mills.

Three hours passed and the three woman watched anxiously over Emma. They placed cold cloths on her forehead, and paced the floors as they waited for her to wake up. Two of them waiting to hear her side of the story, to hear of the Savior's life, while Snow wondered what life was going to be like for Emma now that she remembered absolutely nothing.

Considering the tale she had spun about Regina, herself, and Emma's role in the breaking of the curse she couldn't exactly tell them that she knew the consequences of the actions taken. Couldn't release that she knew what Emma had sacrificed. It was more believable that she wouldn't know of such things. Everyone but herself, and Regina, knew the truth. Everyone else believed that Regina had made two potions, and that Emma had switched them without Regina's knowledge.

Saving the Evil Queen, Regina, from the clutches of her annoying, too many defects to list, husband would have to be pushed back for awhile. Snow was simply too busy freaking out as she continued to pace in front of her long lost daughters bed. Impatiently waiting for her to wake up. Wondering just how the hell she was going to explain what happened, what she would tell her of her past life.

After what had felt like centuries to the women in the room the blonde's eyes fluttered open. A killer pain vibrated deep inside of her guts, and between her temples. She forced her eyes to stay open as she glanced at a beautiful woman that was staring at her, and sitting right beside her still laying form. Two sets of green eyes connected, staring into each other. To say Emma was started would be an understatement, but she tried to stay calm as her eyes widened and she took in the woman sitting with her.

"Who are you people?" Whispered Emma. Words had began to form in her mouth and mind, yet, she didn't know why, or where she had learned them. Her brows creased as she propped herself on her elbows. "Who am I?" a tinge of fear settling into her system. "I can't remember, I can't remember anything" She muttered.

"Your name is Emma, but I choose to call you Stranger Danger. You like to call me Rubix, but, my name is Emma. We are friends, trust me" Ruby explained with a sad smile, as she realized that one of the prices that Emma had to pay was memory.

The blonde sat sat up fully, pressing her back firmly against the headboard. Her own green eyes swept the room taking every small detail, analyzing the situation as best as she could. Besides Rubix she saw two other women in the room. An elderly woman, who was wearing a crossbow as if it was a purse, and a woman who looked around Emma's age. She had short hair, and her face was scrunched up, she looked as if she would cry. The younger of the had a bow strung over her shoulder, and a quiver of arrows was slightly visible from her back. The sight of all of those weapons didn't make Emma feel that safe.

"If you say so" Emma muttered as she tried to decide if these people were friend; or foe. "Why do you have weapons?" She asked. What she could only classify as a flight or fight response started to kick in.

The need to protect herself, and the woman on her bed, filled her system. Growing with every beat of the red fleshy organ that was nestled under her ribcage. The women themselves struck no fear, but once her brain registered the weapons, and the damage they could do. Adding the two together screamed danger to the blonde.

Her brain went into overdrive as she stared out at the weapon wielding women. She knew nothing of these women, in fact, she still knew nothing but what she could gather were facts. Every memory, personal experience, and people were foreign and nonexistent to her. She wondered if she, and possibly the unarmed woman, had been abducted. Then she wondered if the armed women were suffering some mental infliction of some kind.

"Emma, I know that you must be scared right now." Snow ran a hand through her hair, she was beyond stressed. And had absolutely no idea what she was going to do with the situation. "I swear we are not going to hurt you."

"Just because you say that doesn't mean you won't. I do not know you, and I do not know myself. This is confusing to me, and having weapons so close to my being doesn't aid in settling my nerves" was Emma's response.

"I will explain everything to you. Granny, Ruby, and I would never hurt you. Please, just trust us. Why don't we go to the diner, get some food in you, and then we can discuss everything that has happened" Snow said quietly.

The blonde glanced at Ruby, who gave her a reassuring smile, then back at the elderly woman. Who she now knew was called Granny. Finally her green eyes landed on the short-haired brunette who had yet to release her own name. Her eyes roamed her body up, then down. A sigh passed the woman's lips as Emma nodded her agreement.

Trusting the two weapon-outfitted woman was not high on Emma's to do list, so she was uncomfortable as she followed them, her hands in her pockets, and her eyes darting all around. Searching for a sign danger, a sign that something was wrong. She was uncomfortable, and her fight or flight instincts were still running wild within her.

As if Ruby sensed the turmoil within her she slowed down, so she was walking in pace with Emma. She flashed her a thousand watt smile, leaned into Emma, and let her hand find its way into Emma's pocket. Once there she laced their fingers together, and Emma smiled back at her. Feeling calmer, and less frightened already. She most certainly didn't find Ruby a threat.

The group was huddled outside the diner as Granny ran through her keys trying to locate the right one to unlock the door. After an awkward silent minute the clink of the door unlocking was heard the the foursome made there way inside. Ruby pulled Emma over to a booth, sitting down next to her, as Granny took to the other side of the booth. Snow sat at the bar, quickly tapping away at her phone.

At first the stupid tree shit that the parent teacher association had insisted be put in place last year had been nothing more than an intrusive nuisance, giving every other teacher, and parent, the brunettes number. But in this moment Snow couldn't be more happy with the fact. It was the only reason she even had Regina's number.

Knowing her husband's shortsightedness, and his inability to actually think about anything other than his own agenda, Snow knew that Charming wouldn't think of the woman's cellphone. His incompetency aggravated her at times, but, in this case it came in handy. She quickly sent off a text asking what Emma liked.

'In the future one should refrain from asking such questions' Snow rolled her eyes at the text message before continuing on. 'She hates anything remotely healthy. One of her most desired foods is grilled cheese with tomato. Seasoned fries dipped in salsa. And if you wish to win her heart sneak cinnamon and rum into her hot chocolate.'

After sending the Ex-Queen a thank you message Snow put her phone away. Then she gave Granny her order, the older woman scurried off to make the food, and Snow slid into her place. An awkward silence filled the air until a plate was placed in front of Emma, and she dug into it with vigor. Everything was cooked to Regina's specification, minus the rum of course.

"Most amazing thing I've ever eaten." Emma moaned out as she shoveled the food into her mouth at a speed one would assume impossible, but the other three woman knew that Magic took a hefty toll. Especially on the inexperienced. "Well. the only thing I've ever eaten" She added as an afterthought.

Snow decided that starting at the very beginning would be the best plan of action. She told Emma what she could of Regina's troubled childhood. Then what she knew of her dark magic. The White Queen explained how they had fought each other for years, how, in the end, both armies were failing, and no victor could be determined. Then she spoke of the curse, the curse the would uproot them from their true home, and plant them into the one they were in now.

How they were forced to give Emma up as an infant, trusting a magical tree to get her to the right realm, so that she could grow, and then, one day, return to them. To fulfill her destiny. As the savior. The White Knight. How it was her job to save them from the curse, and return them to their homelands.

The daughter of Snow White, the Savior, had listened carefully. Emma had not interrupted her mother, not even when her 'Father' had showed up and pulled a chair next to their booth and listened in. Tight-lipped she had listened as Snow continued her tale, going on to inform Emma that once in this world the Evil Queen had vanished, and had become Regina once more. How she had done nothing but good in this world. How she had adopted and loved a son. A son that had turned out to be Emma's own offspring.

Snow's tale continued to be spun as she said that at finding out Emma's true heritage the woman who had been the Evil Queen had teamed up with the blonde. How, together, the two had made a magical potion. She went on to say that the two had made it so only one of the two potions would have consequences, one person to take on both of the consequences, whatever they may be.

It was stated that Regina was the one who was supposed to drink the potion that would have consequences, that would take the price of the magic that would occur. However, without either Snow, or Regina, noticing the blonde had switched the vials. So when the two women had drank their individual potions at the same time, which did it's job, it broke the curse, Emma had taken on the consequences, and she, the savior, had dropped to the ground. Falling into a deep sleep while the consequences of the magic ran it's course. She stated that Emma had played savior for everyone, including Regina.

"So. We are all from a fairytale land, that apparently, Disney managed to butcher completely. There was curse, that transported us all here. This woman who was Evil, but who isn't anymore, aided in me breaking this curse, and I was a dumbass who drank her potion because that was my job as this savior?" Emma said slowly.

Emma sipped at her hot chocolate as she stared at the people who were claiming to be her parents, they seemed her age, or possibly even a year or two younger. She suddenly had a pang in her stomach, she had a craving, for some sort of alcoholic beverage. As the craving stuck her, she couldn't help but wonder if she even liked alcohol.

"Yes. Everything I have said is completely true" Snow sighed after she spoke, she could tell that her daughter wasn't quite at the point of believing her. She watched as the blonde glanced at Ruby, who nodded at her.

The real truth couldn't be said right now. Snow knew that, but she still hated to lie. Her false tale concerning the potions and the way the curse had ended was needed to appease the masses and to hopefully keep everyone from attempting to kill Regina. And, even more important, keep Charming from doing something more stupid than usual. The only people who knew the truth, that knew of the true love that lived in the very souls of Emma and Regina were Snow herself, and Regina. Beyond that, no one could know yet. And for now, Snow was content with her decision on the matter.

"And I have a child" Emma said in disbelief. "Who, I gave up for adoption" Charming's teeth made an audible clenching sound as his need for vengeance, his need to slaughter Regina grew inside of his gut.

"That worthless bitch took him, and probably corrupted him these past years" He growled out, Emma shot him a glare, and felt the need to give him a left fist to that annoying chin of his. He met her gaze with confusion, not understanding how she could not want to save her son from her, not want to kill her yet.

"And you, who is apparently my father, saw fit to put this boy's Mother behind bars for sending you to a better world? Who has done nothing but protect you all, and love and care for my birth child all these years?" Disbelief and anger were apparent in Emma's voice, and Charming felt a bit of disdain and disappointment grow inside of himself for the child he had never been able to know.

It hadn't taken long for Emma to finally realize that for some reason she could tell when someone was lying or not, it was like an instinct. She didn't know how, or why, but she knew if someone was lying or not. To a point at least. The woman who claimed to be her mother gave off weird signals, some things she said rang completely true, while others she just couldn't get a clear read on. What Charming said had been completely untrue. Even with her power she was unsure if she should trust it, or these people, but she did feel a great need to stuck up for the woman who had raised her son in her stead.

"There's a whole slew of people trying to get into the station. Poor Graham already fell trying to keep them from getting to the Mayor. They are going to kill her!" Panted a man as he burst into the diner, a dalmatian with his tongue hanging out from the run at his side. Both were out of breath.

"Let them, it saves us the trouble. Good fucking riddance I say" Snapped Charming. Emma held back the need to wrap her fingers around his throat and choke him for his obvious attitude problem.

"Archie, is this true?" Snow asked as she stood. Fear splaying across her face. She completely ignored her husbands statement, she didn't have the time to deal with him at the moment. She couldn't let Regina die. Not knowing what she knew.

Fear coursed through every fiber of Emma's being. It as like a raging inferno at the mere thought of this woman she didn't even know being murdered. Snow had told her a few things, that pertained to the history of the curse, and the breaking of said cure, but beyond that she knew nothing of her beloved.

The thought of this woman that she knew nothing about had her whole body tense. More angry, tense, and ready for battle then when she felt she herself, and Rubix, were in danger. Emma didn't have time to figure out why she felt such a great need to protect someone she hadn't yet met, at least, not that she had any memory of.

"NO" Emma barked out, the way she said that single word with such vigor and strength as she stood brought chills to the people in the room. She placed her palms flat against the cool table, in an attempt to calm herself.

"You don't understand, the best plan is to allow the natural course to take place. To let the people have the vengeance they so desperately deserve" Charming said angrily as he too stood up.

Her jaw tightened as she took in the sight of the man who claimed his seed had created her being, even if she had never known him before the curse, even if before this memory lapse had happened, she knew in this moment, she didn't want to know him. Instinctively she knew that his mind was set in stone, that all he wanted was the death of the Evil Queen, and that angered her even more.

"I said NO" She roared at him, her knuckles turning white as she pressed more weight onto her hands, doing her best to stop from giving the man a hefty blow to that face of his. "I will not allow anyone to be killed, especially a woman who saved you from a backwards medieval world!"

"She cursed us all, she took away your memory, she's evil and she will do nothing but evil. You just don't understand!" Whined Charming, wagging his finger dangerously closed to Emma's face, and he was lucky she had enough self-control not to bite the offending digit off.

Snow had the sense to pull Charming a few feet from the table, to try to get him away from her precious, and only, child. The child she had just got back, and she would be damned if she allowed Charming's foolishness to get in the way of her family reunion. She could see that Emma was getting angry, and fast. She sighed, she most definitely got her easy temper from her father's side.

"Regina helped me break the curse. I chose to take on the consequences of the spell that the potions activated. It was me, my choice. Not hers. For three decades that woman has done nothing but good. Running this town to the best of her ability, and protecting every single being inside of it's lines." She snapped back at him.

"Why don't we all sit back down, and take a few deep breathes. We don't want things to get out of hand do we?" Ruby placed a calming hand on Emma's white-knuckled one. It helped, but not very much.

"If I am this so called White Knight. The so called Savior. Then I declare Regina completely resolved for her crimes, and that she is untouchable. Understood?" She yelled out, red faced with rage, as she pounded a fist into the table like a gavel.

King Charming was indubitably appalled, confused, and downright furious at Emma's declaration. Even as King of the old world he doubted he could overturn the White fucking Knights decree. Charming wanted nothing more than to, at long last, shove a dagger deep within that evil bitch's gut and twist it until her eyes dimmed and the life finally left her body. With both his daughter and his wife against him, against the obvious correct choice, at least in his mind, Charming knew he would have to come up with a way to guide them to the truth. Guide them to his way of thinking.

Thankfully, although both Granny and Ruby had been greatly confused on why Emma had such a strong reaction, they thought no further on the matter after chalking it up to her status as the Savior and White Knight. It was, after all was said and done, her destiny, her duty, to save everyone. Once again Snow sighed, she knew the real reason behind Emma's reaction. While Emma did not remember Regina, even in her innocent sleep, her soul had already claimed the woman she had yet to see in her waking hours.

"Come on Stranger Danger. You feel so strongly about it, then I say we got us a Mayor to save" Ruby said as she stood up. She laced her fingers through the blondes as she yanked her hand off the table. Emma smiled appreciatively at her, and the two raced past the others in the direction of the door.

Snow rushed after them, keeping at their heels. While her husband dragged his feet, a scowl chiseled permanently onto his face. He was slow, he wasn't driven like the other three were. The woman rushed through the streets, which previously had been scattered with people here and there was now filled with large angry groups. Outfitted with pitchforks, and other ancient weaponry. It was the handful of guns that worried Emma as she allowed Ruby to lead her where she needed to be.

Blood and bits of brain matter were in a slowly drying puddle on and around the man dressed in a sheriff's uniform. He was most certainly dead, having his head bludgeoned so badly that his skull looked more like shattered glass and spaghetti rather than something that had once been a man. He was sprawled out in front of the sheriff's office, he had been doing his job, trying to protect his prisoner. He had failed, and paid the ultimate price for his service.

The door into the station was still locked, but the window was broken. By the splattering of blood on a few of the shards of glass, and the drippings down the door itself it looked like a few people had managed their way through the window, with at least minor wounds for their trouble. Some of the broken window had small remnants of clothing on it as well.

Emma slipped through the window with ease, her body was fairly used to such maneuvers even if her brain was not. Her mind and memories had been erased, set back to it's very infancy, so no memories could ever plague her, not even subconsciously. However, Regina had not been able to erase the scars that adorned Emma's body, she had not been able to erase the years of conditioning and training the blonde had done to stay in excellent shape for her job as a bounty hunter.

The wolf inside of Ruby allowed her to make it through the broken window with as much ease as Emma, both woman had gotten through without so much as a scrape. Ruby was very glad that her wolf instincts had come back in full force. Snow rolled her eyes and did the intelligent thing, which was reach her hand in through the window, and flip the lock.

Just as the door swung open Charming and Granny showed up, following Snow inside who was trying to catch up to the young girls. Soon they were a group of five, walking through the small station towards the back, where the cells were kept. No sounds could be heard, and Snow became worried of what had become of the intruders that had come through the window before them.

Mayor Mills' arms were crossed, and four men were asleep on the outside of her cell. Pickaxes and spears clutched in their sleeping hands. Snow let out a sigh of relief as she realized that they were not dead. Emma couldn't help but rake her eyes over the majestic beauties form, letting go of Ruby's hand as she did so.

The beauty in question only glared, first, at the hands that had been clenched together, and then at Emma's forehead, she couldn't dare look into those perfect green eyes. Finally, Regina rested her glaring gaze upon Snow White. Betrayal and anger was what Snow saw, and she was sorry, but she couldn't stop Emma from coming.

"Come on Regina. I will take you home" Snow stated as she walked towards the cell. At her words Regina snapped her fingers and the barred door opened wide. "Charming, take Emma to the middle of the town. Gather the people once more, they did not listen to me. But they will listen to our daughter, she is their Savior"

Teeth once more clenched together, and Charming nodded against his better judgment. For now he had to play by his foolish wife and daughters rules. He knew, deep within his soul, that they were very wrong, but he didn't know how to prove to their dumb brains that he was indeed the smart one. That he was only trying to protect them. With the scowl still upon his face he led Emma away, doing as his Queen demanded.

**A/N: Alright, I hope the chapter was good enough to make up for it being nearly a week late. I will update when I can, but I am getting three children ages 4, 8, and 11 (turning 12 while I have him). So, yeah, thats going to be exhausting. Might not be able to write to often. As always, let me know what you think if you get the time!**


	8. Decisions

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who has reviewed thus far, and to anyone still following this story. I deeply apoligize for not being able to update the past month. I had, well, have, an extreme case of writers block. I will finish the story, and I hope to have another update soon, but i can't promise that it will b**e.

The next morning Emma found herself in front of the clock-tower, in front of a large mass of people. They called her the savior, dubbed her the White Knight. The heir to a crown. They stared at her, and soon the chanting stopped. Silence permeated the air. They expected her to speak, to guide them.

Above all, they sought for her to lead them. She didn't know who she was, let alone who these people were. She knew not how to lead them, but, as she glanced at the man who was said to be her sire, she knew leaving him to lead would be the wrong decision, and she feared, he could persuade the woman who was said to bore her to his own agenda.

Emma couldn't leave Regina, or anyone, in the hands of David. Instinctively she knew that David's need for vengeance was set to deep into his bones, and he would be unable to see reason. Ruby stepped closer to Emma, gripping her hand within hers. The so called Knight instantly calmed, Ruby expected nothing from her. Not like everyone else she had come across.

"Let me be honest with you, I am new to both worlds. When Regina Mills, your Mayor, and I saved you the consequences of the action was the loss of my past." Emma paused, letting it sink into the people that the woman they wanted to kill had changed. Wasn't the same woman.

"She should die! She cursed us to this land!" Shouted a man Emma didn't know. "I say off with her head!" The man was clutching a hat in his hands, and had a crazed look in his eyes.

The Savior sighed, and ran her free hand through her hair. Before she pulled her hand from Ruby's, and stepped to the edge of the platform, stepping closer to these people. She wasn't one of them, at least, she hadn't been since she had been sent to this world. But they already expected so much from her.

They wanted blood, they wanted to force her to the vile act of murder. Emma knew, as her eyes swept the crowd that at least seventy percent of the people there wanted that from her, wanted her to 'save' them further by taking a, to Emma's knowledge and logic, innocent woman's life.

"In your land she plundered and she murdered and she sought to expand her territories. But let me ask this. David, did you not murder? Did you not plunder from the innocent? Did you not seek to expand your rule?" Emma asked him, crossing her arms as she did so.

David's, no, Charming's, face contorted in anger. Growing as red as a tomato. A low snarl left his lips as he strode towards his daughter. He raised his hand to smack some sense into her but Snow's hand wrapped around his wrist and halted such action.

"It was completely different, justified!" David shouted. The crowd started to glance at each other, appalled that Emma had suggested what she had. "She's the Evil Queen!" He practically whined.

Emma's eyes once again swept the crowd. She wondered how many different kingdoms were out there, how many Kings, and how many Queens. Her mind started to go into overdrive, trying to figure out how this was all going to work. There was much less land here, whose rules would they follow?

"If before you were brought here you were the reigning King or Queen of a province please come stand up here with me." Emma watched in complete awe as three men, and four women made their way to the stage.

Charming's father, so to speak, stood the tallest. And Emma didn't like the look of him one bit. The other Kings were Thomas. As he had already taken over from his father when he had been wed to Cinderella. The next King was Triton. He looked regal with his long blonde locks, and large muscles. Unlike George, neither Thomas or Triton seemed like any threat.

Kathryn had taken hold of her Kingdom after her Father's death. Aurora, Ursula, and Jasmine. Emma glanced at them all, eight different kingdoms had been swept up into the curse, and if all wanted to rule this land it would not be long before a war would sweep through the town.

"I ask you this. Have your kingdoms ever waged war with another? Have any of you not taken a life, by your own hand, or by ordering another to? Did your kingdoms, in all of their history, not seek to steal land from another? I will know if you lie, and so will your people. As they know your history more than I" Her voice was stern, and her look seemed to seep into their souls.

One by one they all answered that they had done all of those things, even Kathryn who was taking on her father's crimes, as she hadn't been in rule long enough to commit any. But, she knew what her kingdom had done in it's past, and would not deny it. However, George was like his adopted son.

"What I have done was to better my land for my people. No less no more, and I will not be told by a woman that it was wrong, you will kill the Queen, and allow me to take rule of this god forsaken town. As it should be" His voice was laced in authority as he stepped towards Emma. Emma simply smiled.

"This land will not be ruled by you" She shouted. Allowing her words to ring in every ear of the humongous crowd. Allowing them to see her resolve on that matter, she didn't know how to do this. But she'd be damned if these people went back to a medieval way of living; or worse.

George was startled by her tone of voice. He glanced at the crowd, expecting the people of his kingdom to support him, but they didn't. His eyebrows knit together, and anger fueled him. He saw himself as a great and powerful leader, when in fact he had been as bad as the Evil Queen, worse, in his people eyes.

"Then who shall lead all of these people? Who will we follow? Emma, you are the Savior. I will bow to none but you." Kathryn stated, Emma took a step back. That was not what she had expected, she didn't want to lead.

"I concur. I am a man of the sea, even in this body. I have no place to lead on land, but, as a King. And as a man, I won't lay down my crown to anyone but to the Knight of Legend." Triton said as he tipped his head low.

Thomas, Aurora, and Jasmine followed suit, tipping their heads and announcing that they too would bow to no other person. Man, woman, or beast. Giving up their titles, their royal oaths, that they would follow Emma wherever she may lead. To the people, Emma was already there reigning Queen.

Charmings smile grew as he watched each and every of his friends, and enemies, give away all rights to rule to his child. Such words, such oaths meant that when they one day returned to their homeland that his daughter would rule their lands there as well. Which meant, once he taught Emma right from wrong, that he too would rule.

"Unlike these fools, I do not relinquish my rights to you. Should I find a way to the rightful Sea I will be the one to rule my people, to rule the waters. However, until such a day comes forth, I will follow you" Charming's smirk faded a bit, but, that left only two kingdoms that he needed to add to his growing list of provinces.

Emma didn't know how to respond to such things, or what to do about them. So she chose to instead focus on the people's bloodlust. She couldn't just decree that they couldn't kill the mother of her son, she wanted to, but their was only so much she could do. She steeled her resolve, there was much to do, and she had no idea how to fix everything. All she knew, was that these people expected her to be the glue.

"You say she must die because she cursed you to this land yes?" Shouts of agreement rang through the crowd, and the royals chose this time to exit the stage. "Lets look at the facts that have arisen here shall we?"

The people glanced at each other, not sure where the Savior would go with this. Then they stared back up at her. Expectation and confusion apparent on their faces. Emma took a few paces, trying to decide where to place the next domino. Deciding to place it on the platform she'd already started building she opened her mouth.

"All the other Royals, the other kings and queens, have done the exact same crimes. The only difference is they seem to have outsourced to other magical beings rather than using their own. So,considering that, should we kill her for being exactly like every other Ruler in history?"

Silence was all she met with as the peoples of the eight kingdoms considered this. After a few minutes some began murmuring to their friends and neighbors. Unsure on what to think of what Emma put in front of their faces. As the chatter got louder and louder Emma sighed in relief. Discussion was good.

"Your old land, yes, your home world, was filled with famine. Murder, injustices, and sickness. In this world, the one this so called curse brought you to, has given you lives filled with peace. Hospitals to cure your sickness. Food to fill your bellies, and not to mention indoor plumbing. I mean, lets see a raise of hands. Who out there honestly prefers this world to the old one?" Emma asked as a bit of confidence began to filter into her system.

Cinderella herself was the first one to raise her hand. It shook as she did so, and continued to shake until Thomas clutched her other hand in his and raised his other hand. Soon, one by one, people raised their hands. Well over half prefered this land, Emma was not surprised at this.

"In fact" Emma continued. "The woman you call Evil has spent all of these years protecting all of you from the outside world finding out about your immortality, about your magic. She has wasted her life when she could have easily abandoned you all here to perish and suffer. Instead, she sacrificed for you year and year again."

She knew it would take much more than one speech to convince these people, but she could she that she was at least making them think, making them clear their heads and actually consider everything that had been done. If nothing else, it was progress.

"I propose that we live by my worlds, this worlds, laws and regulations. Yes, there will be additives to regulate magic and such, but there is no place for hierarchy here. I say we allow Regina Mills to continue as Mayor. And then, when Election time comes around, we, as a people, will use democracy to decide if she stays or goes." The people seemed to accept what she was saying, didn't mean they liked it, but, they seemed to accept it for now.

Before relief could run full course through her system the man who was her biological father stepped forward to stand by her. And she knew that whatever was going to come out of his mouth she wasn't going to like. She awaited his words, a rock forming in her stomach.

"Because of Sheriff Graham's untimely death we are in need of a Sheriff. I declare that I shall take that honor, and protect you from all Evil things!" He raised his sword high in the air. Expecting cheers, but getting only a handful.

"As our Savior, and Protector, and as the White Knight, I do believe that Emma should take on such a role. And considering she says we should continue with democracy I say we put it to a closed ballot." Snow stated, her husband glared at her.

As Emma nodded her agreement to Snow's words Charming stormed away. Anger and betrayal shining in his eyes. Somehow Emma had a feeling that whatever relationship she could or would have with Charming would be strained. She wondered what the future held as she wiped sweat from her forehead and climbed off the platform. In need of a sandwich and a hot chocolate.

Emma sighed, she had won the role of Sheriff fair and square. It was a landslide decision, only a tenth of the population had wanted Charming to have the power that came with being Sheriff. She couldn't deny the job, not after the town had accidently slaughtered their last Sheriff in a misguided attempt at justice. She was forced into the job,

The evidence that she had been a bounty hunter, and a damn good one from what she'd gathered, helped put her at ease with her new title. But it was still awkward trying to navigate through life with no memories. The first weeks had still been tough, but the town was getting better now. Even actually thankful they'd left Regina as mayor.

The white knight stared up at the ceiling, her mind still thinking back on the measly three months of memories she had. She knew she should be thankful for her new life. A good job, a loving girlfriend, a loving son. She sighed as Ruby nuzzled her head into Emma's chest. Emma crinkled her brow as she continued to think over the past few months. It bothered Emma that she felt like she couldn't ever truly love the people who loved her because of her lack of a past. And she wished, everyday, that one day she'd fall into true love with Ruby.

Emma could remember the first time she'd met Henry. Her son. It had been only five days after the curse had been broken, and Snow had brought him to the apartment. He'd looked overjoyed, and so grown up. Emma didn't recognize him at all. All she knew was that she'd birthed him in the past, and given him up for adoption.

"Emma!" he'd shouted as he had literally launched himself at her. His arms had wrapped around her, squeezing her as tight as his smaller body could muster. She had immediately tensed. But, after a moment she'd been able to hug him back. After All, according to the blood work, and the town, this was her son. "I'm so happy right now!"

"Yeah." She'd said awkwardly as she ran a hand through her hair. Henry had pulled away, and was smiling up at her. She could see the expectation in his eyes, she just didn't know what he was expecting. "So, kid. What do you want to do today?"

The duo had decided to head to the park. So mother and son walked down the stairs and crawled into Emma's jeep. As she had since she had first laid eyes on the magnificent beast, she wondered what in the world her name could be. She had loved it at first sight, it was the second most beautiful thing she had ever seen.

"What's your name girl?" She asked quietly once again as she stroked the dashboard lovingly. She raised an eyebrow as Henry fell into a fit of laughter as he buckled himself in. "What?" She asked curiously, not finding what was so funny.

"I just finally get to help you." He said with excitement. "Her name is Adriana-Rose. You told me the first we had met. And I told you my moms car was named Lee. Well, my other mom." Emma couldn't help but frown.

Guilt ate at Emma. Not because her child referred to his mother as his mother, rather than Emma. She understood, and preferred that he saw Regina as she was, his real mother. Emma was just the person who'd given him life, nothing beyond that. That had all been Regina. No, Emma felt guilty because at the very least she should remember the only time she'd met her son.

"Look, Kid, er, Henry. I am so sorry." She whispered. Her guilt apparent in her voice. She knew there were things you were supposed to remember. Your child, your name, your favorite food. And she remembered nothing.

As if on instinct Henry knew she wasn't apologizing for giving him away. He knew why, Emma had been young, and alone. She had wanted him to have his best chance, and he knew he had gotten it. Even if it meant that for awhile he had hated his mother because of her precious status. He still loved her, she was his mom, and he couldn't change that.

"You and mom broke the curse. You saved my mom from the town. And on top of all that it hasn't been a week and everything is looking up, already better. You can do this" He did his best to reassure her. Emma smiled and turned the key. The jeep coming to life ending their conversation.

The first few weeks were the absolute hardest. Always calming everyone down, convincing them and teaching them of this worlds laws. The added magical laws were new, but Emma pushed those as well. The people couldn't look to their Kings or Queens since they'd given away their rights to Emma, but most people looked to Snow or Charming since they were the only active leaders. Considering Emma had never taken the throne.

However, even after seeking advice and the like from Charming or Snow most would check with Emma to make sure it was alright. It was annoying, but, it was a step closer to Emma's ultimate goal of complete democracy in this world. As the weeks went on they checked less with Charming and Snow and were able to decide for themselves.

Getting to know Henry was tough enough. Getting to know the town was harder. But the worst, the most horrible, and the toughest was getting to know herself. It was a huge weird, and emotional burden on top of everything else in her life. Saving everyone, being what they wanted of her.

Emma knew, one hundred percent, without a doubt, had she not had Ruby by her side she would have fallen under the pressure she was under every moment of everyday. She gazed down at the wolf who was sleeping in her bed, in her arms. She was so thankful to have her, but there was a good amount of guilt there. She knew she loved Ruby as her best friend, and as a lover. But, she knew, she wasn't her true love.

With no Sheriff, the town had quite near forced their Savior into taking the job. Voted in by democracy that she had pushed, and with the only other runner being charming, she'd truly had no choice in the matter. Ruby had been right there, stepping into the shoes of a Deputy. They had stood, back to back, as they fought against the Ogres and Trolls that had come to the woods. Ruby understood Emma in a way that Emma didn't understand, let alone, know herself.

The Wolf was the only one to notice when Emma didn't eat, and so, as discreetly as possible she began to force meals on the confused blond. When she noticed that Emma was always wrapped up in her own thoughts, she made sure she didn't forget the important things. Like when she was supposed to get the son she couldn't remember for the life of her.  
The first few weeks Emma hadn't had the time to even think about acting on her attraction to her newly found best friend. She knew she was beautiful, and she had a growing lust for the woman who, essentially, took care of her behind everyone elses backs. As Emma thought back to that day, the twenty-second day since the curse had been broken.

"You know, I have waited, patiently mind you, for you to ask me out. But, considering, I doubt that it will ever happen. And, trust me, I understand why. But, Emma, I want you" Ruby has said from behind Emma as the blond was locking up the station.

The woman in question had whipped around to face Ruby, not understanding exactly what she was saying. Ruby just grinned, from ear to ear, a slightly pointed incisor cutely sparkling in the dim light. Emma was always captivated by that smile.

Ruby's hands reached out, grabbing both sides of Emma's face, and pulled her down to her own face. The wolf placed their lips together, it was soft, and sweet at first. Before it could grow into a passionate exchange Ruby pulled away. As their eyes locked Emma understood that Ruby wanted more than just a one night stand.

Emma, on bodily instinct alone, grabbed Ruby's shoulders, and pushed her against the side of the building. Their eyes never disconnecting as their lips met for a second time. The second kiss was filled with so much heat, so much passion, so much need that Emma was sure that this was what a volcano must feel like. And she deeply regretted not doing it before.

The Savior had not lasted a week under her her mother's thumb, but the only place in town she had found was the apartment directly across the hall from her parents. Or, as she continually called them. Snow, and Charming. The situation was odd, but living with her mother in the tiny itty bitty apartment was wretched. She couldn't endure hearing the sounds coming from Snow's room, sounds not being wanted to hear. Related or otherwise.

Snow had managed to discover her daughters, and best friends, nightly dates in the blondes room watching movies. Or more frequently, playing twister in bed. That conversation had been bad enough, but Snow had taken it a bit further. She had spread the news about their affair town-wide. And she had made it perfectly clear from the beginning that she doubted they were true loves.

A loud thwack was heard as Ruby smacked Emma's forehead. It didn't really hurt, it was more surprising than anything. It immediately wrecked Emma's previous train of thought. Emma blushed, she hadn't meant to wake up her lover. She rubbed Ruby's back to try and placate her.

"Stop fucking thinking" Ruby growled out, she was still half asleep. "It's keeping awake me" Emma held back a laugh as she pulled Ruby in closer, she closed her own eyes. She knew she had to get some sleep.

With Ruby wrapped around her, already back to sleep, and her own eyes closed it didn't take long for the Savior to drift off into the world of dreams. Her last thoughts before sleep had taken over were that of the weekend with her son that would start early the next morning. And about how whomever had created seven in the morning had hated her.

**A/N: For those who don't like ruby/red with Emma I get you, but for now she has to be with her. Ok? **


	9. Camping and Tea

"EMMA" A smile spread across her lips as she leaned against her jeep. Henry always said her name with such joy, he rushed down the steps, nearly tripping, before throwing his arms around her.

Sometimes, times like these, Henry jumping into her arms, and Regina staring at her. Well, times like these she didn't care about the fact she remembered absolutely nothing. Times like these she was just content to see Henry's excited face, even if he had seen her just a few days before.

"Ah. I see that you managed to be late, as always" Emma sighed, running a hand through her hair as she did so. Regina crossed her arms as she peered out at them from the doorway. "As a grown woman I should expect more from you"

"Leroy hit the bar early" Emma didn't understand why but she always felt she had to justify herself to the brunette. She kept the truthful explanation short, she really didn't have any desire to fight with the mayor on this day. At least, not in front of their son.

The blonde had no inkling why, but she knew that Regina hated her. The dark-haired woman wouldn't step within handshaking distance, beyond that she was the crankiest, meanest person that Emma had encountered since she had woken up. What was worse, was Regina was only that way with her. She was even nicer to Mr. Gold.

Emma's mission in life was to one up the cranky, yet, succulent beast that was her son's mother. All she needed was to win one of their regular verbal wars. But, thus far, she had failed miserably. She supposed that if she could just win one of those damn little battles they seemed to have on a daily basis she could feel better about that fact that Regina had an obvious eternal hatred towards her.

"Is Ruby coming with us?" Regina's eyes flashed purple as she sent a glare at the blonde that had Emma's bones feeling like she'd just been frozen from the inside out. Emma rubbed her upper arms as she hugged herself. Trying to warm herself up.

Regina had heard the rumors of the two woman's relationship. It had been confirmed by Snow, Emma's very own mother, she saw it on the streets. From that damn Genie's pictures. But it pissed her off that Henry knew. And every small reminder that he did made her want to beat the wolf to the brink of death.

"Nah, Boyo, it's wolves time." It was to be a full moon that night. "Gran's still a bit, well, paranoid, when it comes to Rubix. She's in control and all, even has the hood close by just in case something goes wrong, but to appease gran she gonna go down to the cellar. Help keep Ol Leroy from starting trouble like he did this last moon" Emma informed him as she grabbed his backpack, and tossed it into the back of her jeep.

"But it would just be sooo awesome for her to, like, come camping with us!" He pulled out his big puppy dog eyes and elongated the word so to the point Emma thought it had been massacred. When he got no response. "Please? PLEASE?" he begged.

Henry immediately winced as he heard the cracking of his mother's knuckles. The look on the boy's face was not lost on Emma as she folded her arms and looked down at him. His face was filled with fear, and guilt. And Emma had a feeling that somehow everything was going to end up being her fault.

"Camping" Regina said, the disbelief and anger apparent in her voice. This had most certainly not been brought to her attention. She shot more daggers at Emma as the blonde stared down at Henry, a scowl on her features.

Tongue stuck firmly in her cheek, one eyebrow raised, and her jaw set tightly she gazed down at her son. And then she bent her knees, until she was eye level with the dark haired boy. Her suspicions on what had transpired was growing. And she felt like kicking herself in the ass for trusting that a woman like Regina would just allow her to do anything with Henry without a fight.

"Henry, did you steal your mothers cell to text me rather than allowing her to do it herself?" Her one, and only, form of communication with Regina was texting. Well, outside of there yelling matches whenever they were face to face. And even that was rare. Henry turned his gaze to the ground, poking at it with his shoe.

The guilt was plastered all over the young boy's face like bright red paint. He attempted to dig his shoe further into the ground as he tucked his hands into his pockets. A trait he'd picked up from the blonde. Emma rose back up to her full height, never taking her eyes off of her boy.

"I just knew that she would us no" He whispered, his eyes watered, and his bottom lip jutted out. Emma sighed, this was just what she didn't need today. She ran her hand through her hair again, trying to figure out the right thing to do.

"Kid. You don't even know how grounded you are, and that's just with me. No videogames the next three visits. Period. Understood?" Henry nodded, his lip still quivering. "Look, Regina, i bought all this gear, got the time off work. Everything ready, and I know what he did was wrong, but I can't get time off like this until it'll be too cold. Can I please take the boy, please?"

Emma knew that honestly Henry shouldn't be allowed to go. However, she had gotten four days off work in a row just for this trip. Even the weekends she got Henry she still had to go in, she just took him in with her, or left him with Snow. So, she hoped that Regina would be pleased with her begging and allow him to still go.

"There could very well still be Ogres, trolls, or Zeus only knows what else is running about out there" Regina was completely appalled that Emma was still keen on taking her precious son out into the dangerous forests.

The dark haired woman took a few step towards the blonde before realizing she was closer than her allotted six foot perimeter. It was an unspoken rule, but one that Regina followed like it was the only thing that kept her alive. She took a step back as quickly as she could manage, hoping that Emma didn't noticed. She was aggravated, annoyed, and downright angry. At both herself, and the overly foolish blonde before her.

"We killed off the majority of the enchanted creatures. However, Rubix and I scouted the area. No big bad trollies or other sorts around to bother us. The place we would be camping is right near the barrier, considering Henry's ability to pass through should a problem arise he can get to the other side while i fight it off" Emma explained, doing her best not to roll her eyes at the woman before her.

Regina desperately wanted to scream that she was worried about Emma's safety as well. To point out that Emma could very well die in such a scenario but that would have revealed much more about herself then she wanted to. So she kept her mouth shut and contemplated denying Emma's request. And what the repercussions of doing so would be. However, just the hopeful look on the mother and son duo in front of her had her knowing she was going to give in, she just couldn't say no to that.

"Do as you will, but my son will be returned without a hair out of place. With no injuries. COmpletely unharmed do you understand me?" Emma nodded at Regina. Henry high-fived Emma, before he jumped into the jeep.

"Thank you Regina, you won't regret it." Emma said, a smile back on her face, even if she was still unhappy with Henry's actions. And she wouldn't deny that she was surprised that Regina had given in.

The mayor was already regretting many,many decisions in her life. The list of her regrets were a mile and half long, but she refrained from voicing that. She also kept herself from pointing out that she would, most likely, regret sending Henry off camping with Emma. She ignored Emma's words, as she turned her focus onto young Henry.

"When you return from your little trip you are grounded, to what extent I know not. I will tell you this, should i ever find you touching my phone for anything other then that infernal bird game again I will personally show you exactly what an Angry Bird can do" Snapped Regina.

Emma briefly thought about congratulating the once evil queen on her ability to make a somewhat decent joke. As it was the funniest thing she had ever heard Regina say. However, she didn't want to stir the pot. So she decided against speaking about the angry brid statement, especially when she started to wonder if it was, in fact, a joke.

Silence ensued as Emma gave Regina a nod, Regina just turned around and slammed the door behind her as she escaped into the safety of her own home. Emma shook her head at her kid as she climbed into the jeep, while she was still unhappy about his actions, she was still excited for there little camping trip.

Having never actually been camping before Emma had used the internet and studied everything that was typical camping etiquette. She and Henry had the tent up in less than thirty minutes, which, she felt very proud of. Especially considering the first time she'd set it up, in one of Granny's extra rooms, it had taken her four hours. They made a ring of stones for their fire, and then grabbed the fishing poles and can of worms and headed down to the river.

Fishing was not as easy as the internet had stated it would be, and after four hours of nothing more than bloody fingers and fish that were far too smart for their own good Emma was ready to sue the Wikipedia for false advertisement. The sky was dark by the time Henry and Emma swallowed their pride and walked back to camp.

Emma silently vowed never to try that adventure again, and by the scowl on her son's face she was positive he shared the sentiment. She was sure that whatever gene someone needed to actually catch a fish had surpassed both her and her offspring. She also vowed to thoroughly thank Red for packing two coolers of food, just in case she had said.

Despite the fact that the pair had to eat peanut butter sandwiches and hotdogs everyday thanks to the fact they didn't get along with fishing the camping trip was great. The mother son duo watched the stars, made fire without the use of a lighter, ate there weight in s'mores, hiked and explored the woods, climbed a few too many trees, and sang along to Emma's playlist. They even slept under the stars one night instead of the tent that was sort of lopsided. All in all, it was a great experience for both involved.

The Mayor of storybrooke sat in her study, glancing at the clock. She wasn't waiting for Snow White to show up at three o'clock like she did nearly every day. No, that would be completely ludicrous. Nonetheless, as she heard the telltale sign of her front door opening she closed the paperwork she was pretending to be working on and pushed it to the side of her desk.

"What a lovely surprise" Regina said sarcastically as Snow entered her study. Snow smiled at her, she knew Regina's sarcasm was just her front. Knew that Regina secretly liked their little friendship that was growing.

At first Regina had protested and threw a fireball here and there, but eventually it had simply become a routine nuisance, and then it had come to be something she looked forward to. Snow White was her friend, and she was loathe to admit it. But Snow knew, even if it was unspoken.

"Same time" Snow said as she glanced at her wrist. "Same place, same ol me. I'd say this is far from surprise after so many months Regina" Regina couldn't help but smile and roll her eyes at her ex-enemy.

"So now they aren't spinning that story about sharing an apartment anymore. It is confirmed, even to young Henry, that Ruby is your daughter's lover" Snow frowned at her friend's words.

"I disagreed with their decision, he's known for a week or so. I just didn't know how to tell you that they were overly public now" Regina raised an eyebrow, Snow actually sounded sincere, and angry about the incident.

Silence creeped about for a few minutes as Regina tried to decide how to respond. She was in no mood for an argument, especially since she knew how Snow hated the two's relationship. Even if she did still love her daughter, and best friend. She also knew that Snow wanted to break the two up, while Regina wanted Emma and Ruby to make it. Because Ruby made Emma happy in a way Regina knew she couldn't.

"It's no matter, the fact they were able to hide it from him for this long was a miracle within itself. I was the one who fucked everything up" Was what she finally decided on. She knew it could start a fight, but she hoped Snow would leave it alone this once.

Two cups and a steaming teapot appeared on the table between the two woman as Regina waved her hand. Snow smiled appreciatively before pouring them each a glass. She sipped the tea slowly, trying to wrack her brain for a new topic. As she was certain that Regina wouldn't appreciate a fight with the worry she was surely going through considering her child was off in the woods.

"I'm worried about them. Out there, all alone." Snow paused to glance up at Regina, before focusing back on her tea. "I know we defeated the vast majority, if not all, of the trolls and ogres, but one never knows when one of those snakes will pop and strike. I begged her not to go, but she insisted, and if you agreed, how was I too persuade her otherwise?"

Snow was confused as Regina erupted into a small fit of laughter. She didn't understand what exactly was so funny, she had yet to learn of the mornings events. When Regina was done laughing, she sipped her tea and sighed. It was good to laugh, and forget your worries. Even if only for a few precious seconds.

"Henry had used my phone without permission, but the time I learned of the true reason for such a long weekend it was too late to tell him no. I grounded him, and I was very tempted. But he gave me that puppy eyed look and I couldn't deny that face. He got that from that daughter of yours" Regina scowled as she remembered how she used to fall even deeper whenever Emma looked at her like that.

Storybrooke's Mayor desperately wished that she would never have to remember her past with Emma. That she could forget all the good times, forget why she left. Forget it all, but, she could not pick and choose what someone forgot. Only the essentials of day to day living stayed, and she had enough trouble getting Emma's bank and password information to stay. No, if she were to forget the old Emma Swan then she would have to forget her son, her job, her old life in the Enchanted Forest.

And worse than forgetting Henry, worse than everything else, was she knew, should she forget her past like Emma had that she'd fall under Emma's spell. And the two would share true love's kiss, and then she would remember. As would Emma, and she couldn't let that happen. She had sacrificed her own happy ending to allow Emma to have a chance at one. She wouldn't go back on her word.

"It's not true love, it never will be. Emma's just lonely, and Ruby's the only single gay female in town. And Ruby's just, well, I love her. She's like my sister, my best friend, but, I think she's seeking love anywhere she can" Snow was going to ramble on forever, but Regina couldn't hear anymore. She was becoming angry.

"Ruby's good for her. Ruby did not break her in a thousand pieces, as long as I keep Belle locked away, as long as I keep her asleep, then Emma can be happy" Snow's eyes widened as Regina growled the words out.

"You actually found her?" Snow said questedly. Not only was the astonishment apparent in her voice it was apparent in her facial expression as well. She had doubted they'd ever find the girl.

Gold had hidden the woman he loved somewhere before the curse had activated, so she couldn't be found by anyone other than himself. When Snow had learned of this her hatred of the man who was Rumplestiltskin grew twentyfold. Because the Dark One had fallen in love with someone he knew was the true love of another he had hidden her away, so she could never be happy since she was not his own happy ending.

It hadn't mattered to the vile crocodile like creature that Belle and Ruby had yet to learn, or accept, that they were destined to be. That the love they would share was as perfect, as pure, and as powerful as the love between Snow and Charming, no, all that mattered to Gold was the fact that Bella could never love him like he loved her.

"Yes. I did, about the same time the rumors of Ruby and Emma hit my ears. I waited, originally I was going to release her, but just in case, I did not. Knowing that it could hurt Emma if the rumors were true" Regina said, glaring down into her empty teacup.

"Regina!" Snow said with excitement, her eyes lighting up as she spoke. "If you release Bella, she will find Ruby, and then they will realize their true loves! Then you and Emma can finally be together!"

"NO" Roared Regina as she shattered the teacup in her hands. Her friendship with Snow was bad enough, the woman getting wrapped up in her love life a second time was a complete different story. She would not allow it to happen. "She wanted to forget Snow. She begged for it, and I could literally feel how badly she needed, wanted, it. I caused that, had I known who she was when we met. Then I would have taken her with me, curse be damned. But I didn't. I wanted to stay with her, but that meant death for all of you. So, I gave her up. because I thought she was like all the other people of this world. Because I thought, like them, she could never survive here. I was wrong. I fucked up. And I can never allow her to feel for me what I must feel for her every day of my life" Her long rant over with she stood up and walked out of the woman quickly, not bothering to heal her her bleeding hand.

A/N: So, what are your thoughts thus far?


	10. Eva

Watching the two of them together filled every fiber of her being with anguish. The way that her True Love would laugh and throw her arm around Ruby's shoulders. How Ruby would wrap her arms around Emma, burying her head into the blonde's shoulder as the two strolled through the park.

She had been a Queen, and yet, as she sifted through the photos of Emma and her lover she felt like nothing more than a common stalker. Droplets of vile liquid spilled down her cheeks, once again she was brought to tears over the fact that Emma could never be allowed to love her again.

It was a boiling, festering, wound that Regina lived with. Each day it hurt more, each day it literally killed her on the inside. However, she didn't matter. What did matter, so much more than her own inner-torture, was that Emma was happy. Even if it meant she was happy with someone other than herself.

Always watching, always submitting herself to the torture of the rumors, pictures, and other intel that Sydney brought her. Months turned into another year. Her son's twelfth birthday had passed. It'd been nearly two years since Emma had stumbled into Storybrooke. A year and a half since she'd found her way into Ruby's bed.

Day to day, she did her best to live. For Henry. To not show the weakness of claiming one's own life. On cold, long nights, when Henry was off with Emma, Regina would secretly hope that someone would break in and run a blade across her throat, saving her from the misery of living.

Regina often wondered how she had possibly fallen so low to call Snow fucking White her best friend. She supposed, had life been different, had she not been forced to wed the woman's father, and had the woman not played a major part in Daniels death they would have been friends in their homeworld.

Since the very day that his memories had returned, David, Charming, had been trying to convince the people of Storybrooke that Regina was still evil. That she had lied about the events of the day when the curse had finally been broken.

Most of all he needed to convince his poor, nieve, stupid wife the truth. So she could understand that he was right, that he would always be right, and she could get where she belonged. In his castle, ok, house, and doing her damn duty. Not waltzing around with the fucking Evil Queen. He needed a way to prove to his child, his child that he doubted was even his thanks to her actions, that Regina needed to die. He smiled, one day he would prove to the world the truth. And on that day Emma would kill the Evil Queen, to earn his love.

The photos that brought the once Evil Queen the most pain were the ones she had never been able to bring herself to burn. The photos that she and Emma had collected during their perfect summer together. The memories of that summer was both a curse, and a blessing. It brought pain, but remembering that, for a time, Emma was hers. Well, it helped numb the pain to lose herself remembering.

At the same time, she couldn't help but be drawn to young Emma's face, and the huge smile that she had whenever she was looking at Regina in the photos. The smile that was only slightly bigger than the one that Emma gave Ruby. Emma was happy with her, and that broke Regina's heart. But she knew it was for the best.

If there was anyone on this earth that deserved to get everything they wanted and needed it was Emma. Or, at least that was what Regina full heartedly believed. It was the reason that Regina kept Bella, Ruby's true love, locked away. And she would never release her, unless Emma broke it off with Ruby.

As Emma's true love Regina knew it was her duty to make sure Emma got what she deserved, it was her duty to protect her. Keeping Belle locked up was a way of protecting her, because should Bella see the light of day, it would be a matter of days before Ruby and her found each other. Ruby made Emma happy, and while she was loathe to admit it, they worked well as a couple. She both hoped they worked out the problems they were going through, and hoped they didn't. And she hated herself for it.

Pounding was heard as someone ascended the stairs. Regina recognized the sound as the tell-tale sign of Henry's sneakers against the wood. She sighed as she gathered the photos into a pile and threw them into a folder before Henry burst into her office, out of breath. She steeled her face, sweat was dripping down his face.

"Mom! We gotta go" He shouted as he slid to a stop in front of his mother, he'd run all the way from the park. He grabbed his mother's hand, pulling her to her feet. "Grandma went into labor"

All annoyance for her sons lack of rules, and commanding tone vanished at the words. She'd promised, god she still hated calling that woman her friend, that she would be there for her. She followed Henry down the stairs at a quick pace, and jumped into the car. Only waiting long enough for him to buckle his belt before she was peeling out of her garage.

They arrived too late, but Snow smiled at Regina and waved her in. She thanked the woman for coming, while David glared at her. Mentally imagining killing the woman before him slowly and painfully. Snow was quick to offer her baby up to the once evil queen.

"She's breathtaking Snow" Regina murmured after Snow had carefully placed the infant into her arms. The child had the charming chin, Snow's black hair, but had received her skin tone from her father.

There was no lie to her words. The baby was indeed beautiful, but Regina held no doubt that while the child would grow into a magnificent beauty of a woman she would still no hold no candle to her older sister. Regina couldn't imagine someone every being as beautiful as Emma.

"You are the third to hold her" Regina raised a brow at Snow's words. "Doctor Whale, and myself before you" David sent another death-delivering glower at the woman. She was holding his second child before he had even had the opportunity. If possible, his hatred for her grew even more.

Eyes widened at the confession, her mouth dropped slightly. The room was silent for a few minutes as Regina's eyes swept from the infant in her hold, to that of Snow. Who despite having just gone through labor, still looked happy and ready for anything. Regina wondered how she could have such strength.

"I can't thank you enough for that honor" Her voice cracked, and tears swept into Snow's eyes. She reached out and squeezed Regina's hands. Letting her know she appreciated the sentiment.

"I get to be fourth" Exclaimed Henry with excitement, totally ruining the sugar sweet bonding moment between his mother slash step-grandmother and his grandmother. His smile only widened when Snow nodded at his demand.

David couldn't help but scowl, his ungrateful grandchild, who no matter how hard he tried, didn't believe his claims about his evil mother, was about to get his grubby little paws onto his daughter.

Reluctantly Regina placed the sleeping bundle into Henry's arms. She was sure his smile, should it widen any further, would surely split open her dark-haired sons face. He'd always wanted a little sister, she supposed a little aunt was the next best thing. He looked so happy, and it warmed her heart.

It was clear from the way the two were scowling, and standing away from each other once they were inside of the hospital room that the two had most likely been fighting once again. Snow noticed at once, and try as she might not to, so did Regina. Henry was obvlious to the tension between his birth-mother and Ruby with the baby in his arms.

"Hey guys, sorry I am late. Ruby wouldn't hurry up. Nearly had to leave her behind" Emma said in a strained voice, Ruby huffed and shot a glare at her girlfriend.

"Don't worry about it, I doubt I looked very pretty while I was trying to push that heavy thing outta me" Snow laughed as Emma grimaced at the thought. "I am just glad you made it at all"

Eva, that was the baby's name. Named after Snow's mother, she told them all her name as the baby was finally passed to David, but only after Emma and Ruby had held her. Granny snuck in and got her chance to hold the babe before sneaking out to get back to the Diner.

"Before you go I have something important to ask you. While most children have a godmother, and a godfather, Charming and I have both chosen a woman. David has chosen Emma" David nodded as Emma raised an eyebrow at him.

It was surprising, as Emma and Charming didn't spend any time together unless Snow was with them. The two didn't get along, mostly thanks to Charming's beliefs. Emma took the position as his way of trying to get her to do something he wanted, and that was the truth. He was hoping to win his daughters favor, so he could finally prove to her the truth.

"No problem Snow. Afterall, she is my sister right? However, I don't do diapers. I don't even know how to change one. Or make a bottle, so, why don't you wait to make me babysit till she's potty trained yeah?" Emma said with a laugh.

The whole room laughed as Emma ran a hand through her hair. It was true, she had no experience with babies. Barely knowing how to hold one. And the mere thought of the blonde being left with the infant was too funny for anyone to contain. Even Henry laughed at the visual he got of her with a baby.

"Thank you" Replied snow. "For taking such an honor and responsibility. I chose my best friend, that despite her past, has become a very good woman. And a wonderful mother. Regina, will you?"

His frown deepened, and he shot more eye daggers at Regina. He couldn't understand how Snow could be so fucking stupid to not only love the Queen, but claim her as her best friend. The woman in question allowed her mouth to full drop, and she tried compute words. Snow looked at her expectantly.

"It would be dishonorable to deny such a request" Regina said slowly. Snow smiled a wicked smile her way. She knew she had just won a small battle with the ex-queen. "I simply can't wait for our next lunch date"

By that Regina meant that her honor code would never allow her say no. And she would most certainly be killing Snow the next time the two were alone. As it was completely against the bestfriend code, not to mention simply not cool, to put Emma and her in a boat like that. It annoyed, and aggravated the dark-haired woman to now end.

Snow had barely crested the top of the stairs when Regina was on her like white on rice. Snow would expect nothing less, and barely contained her smile as Regina started to rant and rave at her, as quietly as she could manage considering the sleeping baby in Snow's arms. She couldn't help but be amused, she had, after all, left Regina to stew in her anger for a week before finally popping in for a visit.

"How on earth did you think that was a good idea?" Regina, quite literally, whined. She plopped onto her couch, and Snow settled in the chair on the opposite of her. "I know what you are trying to do. How many times must we have this discussion?"

Tapping the arm of the couch Regina waited for Snow's answer. She was angry at the woman, infuriated really, but, Snow was her only true friend besides kathryn. And not even she could divulge the entirety of every truth to the blonde that she had, regrettably, married to Charming. She still felt bad for Kathryn and guilty over how she could do that to such a nice lady.

"It's simply a matter of time Regina. They are falling apart, have been for awhile. Since her memories are gone she sticks to what she knows, and she knows Ruby. But they are not meant to be" Snow said softly.

This woman was her friend, and she was holding a baby. Therefore Regina suppressed the urge to toss a fireball at Snow's face. She hated this conversation, she hated that they had it frequently. She hated allot of things, and did not have enough time in the world to list them all.

"Emma can not get her memories back. It's impossible, she would forever hate me for it. I don't know why you simply refuse to understand, no matter how many times. It's a circle Snow, and I am growing ever so tired from it" Regina sighed out.

Wringing her hands together, pretending they were around the pale skinned dark haired woman's neck. Squeezing the very life out of her. The thought calmed her, as it did every time she was forced into this same conversation. Who would ever think the mere thought of killing Snow would be therapeutic enough to get Regina through day to day life?

"Whatever hardships the spurned her into wanting to forget, into needing to so desperately. Well, true love can help her. With true love at your side you can move past anything. Together, you can heal. Apart you will never get better" Snow said, annoyance apparent in her tone.

Baby Eva let out a wail as Regina's hand slammed into the coffee table. She didn't wince from the pain, she just shook her head at her friend. This was not a conversation she wanted to repeat. Snow knew that, but she kept bringing it up whenever she could. Regina didn't know why Snow couldn't just accept her decision in the matter.

"Hardship?" Regina growled out. "I am her hardship. As I have said so many times before, I am the reason she is how she is. It was I who destroyed her. I am responsible for her life. How many times Snow? how many? Because I can't take much more" The last bit was said with defeat.

"Your guilt is misplaced, things happen to tear people apart. You need to move past it. So you can get her back, so together, you can make things right. She's miserable with Ruby. Please, Regina. She's your other half" Regina hated Snow's sweet tone. And she could take no more. She left the room, leaving a guilty looking Snow rocking her infant baby back to sleep.

The subject matter had not been brought up for two weeks, and Regina was thankful for it. Not that she would admit that to Snow. She sighed as she glanced up, and worry etched itself onto her face. She could see Henry running towards the house, tears streaming down his preteen face. It was his night with Emma, he shouldn't be home. She exited the kitchen and headed for the front door.

Tears and snot were rubbed into her neck and shoulder as Henry literally jumped into her arms when she opened the door. The force shocked her, not to mention the fact that while Emma had no problem carrying him around she could barely hold him up. She barely made it to the couch before her knees buckled.

Letting him cry before bombarding him with questions Regina allowed him to sit in her lap and cry it out. She desperately wished that she had a glass of apple cider in her hand. He cried and cried, and at the hour mark she could take no more silence outside of the boys sobs.

"May I inquire to what the problem is?" She asked quietly, rubbing his back. He was still clutching onto her with all his might. She received no answer,and felt no movement. She waited patiently.

Several minutes later Henry finally removed his head from Regina's now soaked and mucous covered neck. He wiped his eyes, and then the remainder of his snot on his shirt. Under any other circumstance she would have reprimanded him for such an action. Considering his emotional state of being, she fought the urge.

"Mom and Ruby. They. They broke up. And. They said they love each other, and will be friends. But there not true loves. And it's better if Emma moves out and they just be friends." He managed to get it all out before he burst into tears once more.

The werewolf had become an important figure in his life, and Regina understood that thanks to the breakup, the boy thought he would lose her. So she explained to him that she was sure Ruby would always be there for him. She soothed him the best he could, until she laid him down to bed.

Once he was down for the count she left the room and headed straight for the liquor cabinet. She needed a stiff drink, or two. Ruby and Emma separating made her feel both good, and bad inside. And she hated that. She had hoped they would work it out, but it seemed fate didn't want to listen to the powerful ex-queen.

**A/N: Yes. I suck. I know this. *thumbs up* Anyway, I update when I can. For some reason I have just been massively blocked.**


	11. The Collision of two pasts

"Sheriff Swan, Henry is asleep." Regina crossed her arms as she spoke. Emma nodded at her, she had known that information already. It was, afterall, past his bedtime. She shoved her hands in her pockets. Not knowing where to start, not knowing what to say.

Silence percolated into the air, clogging it with it's toxic particles. Surrounding itself around both woman, it was like the wind itself did not dare rustle a single leaf in fear of what would happen. Birds did not chirp, dogs did not bark, and not a single cat meowed. The silence was like a venom, dripping, seeping itself into everything. And Emma Swan could not take the deafening silence anymore.

"Why do we fight all the damn time?" Emma blurted out, wincing as she did so. That was not how she had planned this conversation. Regina raised one perfect eyebrow as Emma advanced towards her. The ex-queen did not know how to answer such a question.

She came closer, and closer, until there was barely a foot between them. Emma stared right into Regina's eyes, and the Mayor had to stop herself from grabbing Emma by the collar and smashing their lips together. But she didn't, wouldn't, couldn't ever do such a thing again. She could not lean back either, that would seem as if she was backing down.

"We fight because we simply have nothing in common. You are nothing more than a fool born of the charming line" Regina paused, she needed to hurt Emma. Even if she didn't mean it. "Thankfully I got the charming who was actually born with a working brain" She snapped, her voice filled with venom, like that of a rattler.

Regina could still not move back, nor forward. Both would end badly for her, and the way that Emma was looking at her, even with the pain that now plastered the saviour's face she was sure now, more than ever, that Emma would just follow her inside to further their conversation. Forced as it might be. No, Regina was trapped right where she was.

"Why do you hate me? I know I broke this curse, but, didn't you help me with that? They all say that you saved me, that without you I would have surely died." Emma glanced at her hands. "I still have scars from that day"

Once more silence creeped into the conversation. Emma staring down at her hands. Regina staring at them as well. Memories of finding Emma beating at the invisible barrier coming to the forefront of her mind. The blood running down her fingers, over her wrists, and down to her elbows. The blood that had splattered across her face and chest as she punched harder and faster. Not giving up in her endeavor to escape the town. Regina hated that memory, and scowled harder, if that were possible that is.

Hate Emma? Regina could never do that, and she was rendered speechless. She could lie about many things. She could twist facts into angry, hurtful things that she used as barbs against the Saviors psyche. All a ruse to keep the savior from getting to close to her. But she anything but hated her. She loved her with every microfiber of her tortured being. Her silence was taken as there was just too many things to list, and Emma sighed. It killed her inside to know that Regina hated her, and she just didn't know why.

"Tell me why, tell me. Tell me why is it, that whenever I see you, that I just. That I just want to" Emma stopped and stared unto the ground, tracing her shoes with her eyes. She couldn't finish her sentence.

Emma had long since tried to figure out who she was. She just didn't know. She'd managed to get some information. She was rich, she had become pregnant with henry when she was young. She had given him away. She'd made her money bounty hunting, and she had been damn good at it. Beyond that she didn't want to know, she found no point in learning about what felt like someone elses life. And the life she led here still didn't feel right. Her mind was always plagued with Regina, even when she had Ruby. But she knew she didn't have a chance with her sons mother. Never would. It had been why she had tried to keep Ruby for so long.

"Want to what Sheriff?" Spat out Regina, fear coursing through her veins like liquid magma. Burning her inside out. She knew what she wanted to hear, but she also feared that answer. That answer could be her undoing.

No answer was to befall from the saviors lips. Tears had formed in the corners of her eyes, and she didn't need Regina to see them. So Emma shrugged, turned, and walked away as fast as she could. She knew that Regina would never, in a billion years, allow Emma the tranquility of even one kiss.

Regina slipped inside, she felt bad for Emma. Losing Ruby like that, she supposed she had better let Belle out soon. The two women were not getting back together, and she had disliked keeping true loves apart. Even if for as good of a reason as she had. She leaned against the door, wrapped her arms around herself, and let a few tears fall. As she let the fact that she would never have Emma in her arms again consume her. Usually she fought it, but after having Emma so close, she just needed to let some of the pain out.

David, Charming, paced the floor of Rumplestiltskin's shop. Fear, and pure joy battling it's way to the surface. He had waited since the moment Emma had woken up with no memories for the once reptilian appearing man to finish with the spell or potion he would need to bring back her memories.

"You are completely sure this will work?" David asked as a vile of purple-ish liquid was placed into his palm. He had waited, for what seemed like a millenia, for this. Sneaking around with Rumple behind everyone's back.

"Absolutely. Remember, you owe me one favor, no questions asked" Said Rumple, who had an agenda of his own. Not that David was smart enough to realize that. After All, it had really only taken Rumple six months to create the potion. No, he had a different goal in all of this.

"And I will deliver whatever you need of me" Promised David, staring at the small vile as if it was liquid gold that would make him the richest man on the planet. "Soon, everyone will see the truth" He said happily.

A smile crept onto his lips. In his hand was the answer to everything. Once he slipped this into his daughters drink, she would awaken. With all of her memories. And she would tell the world that Charming was right. That Regina was lying. That she hadn't tried to stop the curse. That she was still Evil. And then she would beg his forgiveness for her stupidity, hand him the rights to rule, and kill the evil bitch. David could not wait for the potion to take effect.

His smile was sinister, but no one seemed to notice. He hadn't even complained when Snow had took baby Eva over to Reginas around noon. Because he had known that soon enough the truth would be known, and then Regina would get what was coming for her. All he had to do was wait for Emma to come over for lunch.

He gleefully started warming up the leftover lasagna like his wife had told him too, so it was hot and ready by the time his daughter walked through the door the smell of one of her favorite dishes hit her full force. He slipped the potion into her drink. Once Emma drank it she would regain her memories, and everything would be perfect. Rumple had given him the key to cure everything.

Sure of the actions he had taken, sure of his supreme rightness, he watched as Emma drank the soda. Just shrugging at her when she said it tasted funny. And he actually smiled wider when his own daughter started screaming in complete, and pure, agony. Clutching at her head. David was sure that she would most certainly thank him in the end. He never thought for one second that someone as amazing and perfect as himself could be wrong.

Emma's body shook and limbs went flying in random directions as she lost control of her every action. She fell out of the chair, and onto the floor. Hitting her forehead on the way down, leaving a nice inch long gash on the left side. David didn't care. In his mind it was simply penance for disobeying someone such as himself for so long.

Memories of two lives were entering Emma's mind. The she had lived before the loss of her memories, the one she had lived outside of storybrooke. The one filled with only two true emotions. The need to run, and the need to forget everything and anything.

Two lives merging into one, a past, and the present. Meeting together like someone getting thrown down by a fucking linebacker. Nothing but pain was able to register in Emma's body. Emotional pain rang throughout her mind, memories she never wanted to remember playing out like it had happened just moments before. Her life was literally flashing before her eyes in a matter of minutes.

Painful, horrible, unimaginable minutes. Every wrong deed, every horrible action, every beating, everything. Not a single moment was spared from the replay through Emma's mind. And as it neared it's end, she began to be filled with hate. Unadulterated hatred for the man who had done this too her. The man who should have loved her unconditionally, her father. She could see him through her watery eyes, standing over her, smiling, like he was some sort of God.

As the reel of her new life ended, the one filled with trying to love a woman simply because she thought she should. Trying to truly Ruby like she deserved, but never managing to do that. A life with parents, one she didn't like, and now hated, and one she felt bad that she couldn't actually love, although she at least liked Snow. A sister. A life filled with love. Acceptance. Hope. A life filled with things she had never imagined she could have.

Colliding together, the lives fought and snarled as they continued to merge. Henry. Emma hadn't been able to love Henry, knowing he was the son of Neal. She had given him away so he wouldn't grow up with a parent who hated him. When she had lost her memories, she had grown to love him. But now, she feared she wouldn't be able to anymore. It killed her inside to know that now she might be unable to even look at him.

While David was standing over his convulsing daughter, smiling and waiting for the potion to wear off and her too finally remember the truth. So that everything would go just as he planned, so he could finally prove to everyone his worth. Prove it is he who should lead them, that it was he who was the ultimate perfection. While David stood there, watching his daughter in pain, Gold was cornering his grandson.

Slowly she stood up, wobbly on her feet. She glared at David, and she ran off. She didn't stop running until her body slammed into the barrier. She now remembered every moment, and she could feel Neal's breath on her body, and other's breath and sweat as well, all over her body. She wished to forget again, she'd give anything to forget again. But she knew she wouldn't be allowed the same miracle twice. For the second time in her life she started to beat the barrier with her fists as if her very existence depended on it.

Henry was scared, but not too scared. His grandparents were Snow and Charming, his mothers were the Evil Queen, and the Savior. Surely Rumplestiltskin would not be stupid enough to hurt him. Plus, he saw a sincerity in Rumple's eyes. He believed in second chances, so he tried to calm down, and waited for Rumple to speak.

"You mustn't trust your mother. She is worse than Regina. She played with my son's heart, she made him do things, and then she blamed him. She locked him away, and he died. She killed your father." Gold said. Pushing a crumpled picture of a young Emma with his son Neal into the boys hands.

Surveying the picture in his hands Henry could see some of both Gold, and himself, in the man. However, it didn't look like his mother and his father were dating. His mother were a few feet from his apparent father, if anything, they looked more like acquaintances than anything else.

However, what Rumple stated did not add up in his mind. His mom was the savior. She'd even saved the evil damn queen. She would never lock someone away just so they could die. She wouldn't force anyone to do anything bad, she simply wasn't that type of person. He didn't believe Rumple. Not at all.

"That's not true. My mom wouldn't allow anyone to day" Argued Henry. He could never think ill of his mother. Either one. Yeah, Regina had done bad stuff. But he was a kid, and that was his mom. End of story.

Gold let out a laugh, and conjured up a cloud that soon filled with the images of the past. Particularly the one where Emma showed up on Neal's doorstep. Where he had seemed so happy to see Emma, and Emma immediately started beating the crap out of him. He chose this moment so Henry would not see that Neal was actually the real bad guy. Gold had lost his son, but he wanted to gain his grandson. By any means necessary, it had been why he had slipped the potion to Emma.

Young Henry didn't believe gold, which Rumple hadn't anticipated. The elder man had been certain that between the picture and the cloud that showed the past that Henry would trust him. He was wrong. The boy called the man with the cane a liar, and ran away from him. Rumple sighed, he supposed now the only way to gain his grandson was to kill Emma. A smile splayed on his lips, she would be vulnerable now that she had her memories.

He had always planned on killing Emma for what she had done to his perfect child, but he had wanted to wait until Henry had been warped into seeing things his way. Unfortunately, his plan hadn't been as well thought out as he had originally thought it to be. He had been clouded by his need to have the little boy in his life, Rumple walked away. Vowing not to fall for the same mistake a second time.

Rumple would have his grandson, nothing would keep him from him. He had invented this curse to find his son, he had manipulated Regina into casting it to find his precious child. And then, when the curse had been broken, he had found out how Emma had teased him, and forced him to take her. How she had tossed him in jail, and how he had lasted no more than a year before he'd ended on the wrong side of a shiv. He clenched his fists, revenge, he would have it. That, and his grandson.

**A/N: Thanks for dropping bye. Hope to have an update soon - but no promises.**


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